Agri dean of Xavier University explores possible partnerships with Southern Taiwan HEIs

On 10-15 December 2019, the Dean of Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan’s (XU-ADC) College of Agriculture went on a five-day learning visit in the Southern Taiwan region to explore possible future collaborations with the region’s higher educational institutions (HEIs), research institutes, and firms in the field of agricultural research and agri-business.

Dr. Maria Rosario Mosqueda, the current dean of XU-ADC’s College of Agriculture, is an expert and a published scholar in the following agricultural areas, namely, post-harvest systems, agricultural and bio-processing, agri-food value chain analysis, food engineering, and handling and storage mechanisms. Her primary objective in this learning visit was to look for possible Southern Taiwan agricultural universities or organizations who can accommodate her faculty and students for research and internship purposes in the future.
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Responding to this request, the Edu-Connect Southeast Asia Association in Kaohsiung managed to secure appointments with the university officials of Southern Taiwan’s premiere agricultural universities, namely, the National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST), National Chiayi University (NCYU), National University of Kaohsiung (NUK), and National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology (NKUST). She was also brought to the region’s famous agricultural research institutes such as Fengshan Tropical Horticultural Experimental Branch of the Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, Pingtung Agricultural Biotechnology Park, and the World Vegetable Center. Also included in the itinerary were the visits to the AgriGaia Social Enterprise and an immersion tour with Kaohsung City’s Li Captain village governance model as an example of the Edu-Connect’s commitment to promote the cross-sectoral interface among industries, cities, universities and entrepreneurs.