(Mr. Neil Angelo Abreo (3rd from the right) from Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao, Philippines, together with Dr. Michael L. Dourson (2nd from the right) and Dr. Bernard Gadagbui (Center) from Toxicology Excellence for Risk Assessment (TERA) USA, was welcomed by the staff of Chitkara University’s International Affairs Office at the Himachal Pradesh Campus.)
Himachal Pradesh, India, October 25, 2024 – Neil Angelo Abreo, the Program Chair of the BS Biology program at the College of Health Sciences, Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao, participated as a guest professor during the 15th Global Week at Chitkara University. Chitkara University, recognized as the top research institution in India, hosts this annual event to provide their students with a “global experience”. This year, the global week featured 37 international faculty, hailing from 26 universities from 16 different countries.
As part of the Faculty Mobility Program, Mr. Abreo represented Mapúa MCM in this prestigious gathering. Faculty mobility, whether outbound or inbound, refers to the movement of professors and teaching personnel across borders to engage in academic activities such as teaching, research, training, or collaboration with foreign Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Through initiatives like outbound faculty mobility, Mapúa MCM empowers its educators to apply global insights and industry-standard practices upon their return to the Philippines, enriching the institution’s academic offerings and research endeavors.
Mr. Abreo gave lectures to Freshmen and Senior BS Nursing students at the Himachal Pradesh Campus of Chitkara University on “Microplastics: A food security and human health issue” which discussed the evidence of microplastic food contamination and presence of these contaminants in the human body.
(Mr. Abreo with the nursing students at Chitkara University, Himachal Pradesh Campus during the farewell program organized by the College of Nursing.)
On the second day, the topic Mr. Abreo discussed with the nursing students was on “Using social media to address research gaps: The case of Philippine marine litter problem” and related it to possible usage of the methodology to address gaps in public health research. The following day, the College of Nursing of Chitkara University, Himachal Pradesh campus, organized a mini symposium where Mr. Abreo shared his research on marine plastics. Also, students shared their output with the tasks assigned to them by Mr. Abreo during their second day session. The students were able to shed light on the plastics issue of their country.
The global experience was not exclusive to the students and the personnel of Chitkara University, however. The faculty, students, and staff of the university also made sure that the visiting professors experienced Indian culture through their food, warm hospitality, and cultural presentations.
Mr. Abreo describes his memorable moment that: “One of the best parts of the global week was experiencing the Indian culture through their food and amazing hospitality. Also, meeting new friends and expanding my professional network.” He also added, “Meeting different people from different parts of the world with different academic specializations made me broaden my perspectives and realize how different expertise can complement each other to address challenges.”
Moreover, the global week also allowed visiting professors to connect and network with the other foreign professors during the event. Discussions on future collaborations and broadening the possible global experience were a key focus. These interactions fostered a sense of community and opened doors for joint research projects, exchange programs, and innovative teaching methods.
Through this event, Mapúa MCM reaffirmed its mission to transcend borders in education through collaboration with India’s top research institution, Chitkara University. This partnership enriched both institutions, highlighting Mapúa MCM’s commitment to nurturing globally minded professionals. Mapúa MCM fosters knowledge exchange by sharing its expertise internationally, addressing global challenges while enhancing its academic programs and student experience.