Life after Yolanda: The Erasmus Mundus program and the lives it changed

MANILA, Philippines - The 93-kilometer drive from Tacloban City to Visayas State University in Baybay City took an hour and a half but the European Union delegates were already looking forward to visiting VSU. EU Ambassador Guy Ledoux was very interested in knowing about updates concerning the Abaca Project and Rain forestation Project which was funded by the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit). Czech Ambassador Jaroslav Olsa, Jr. on the other hand was excited about bringing Cine Europa movies for the VSU staff and students to watch and appreciate.

First time visitors may mistake VSU as a resort because it looks and feels like one. The EU Ambassadors took one look at the university and its surrounding and instantly felt relaxed. The university sits between Mount Pangasugan and the Camotes Sea. Aside from that, VSU’s located on one of the country’s last remaining virgin forests.

VSU staff led by Dr. Victor B. Asio welcomed the EU delegates. The delegates were later introduced to Sabine Schreiner, Project coordinator and Student Administrator for VSU’s Forestry Department. After lunch, Schreiner led a short tour of the university and gave updates on the EU-funded Abaca and Rain forestation project. Watch the video here:

ERASMUS MUNDUS. October 20, 2014 is Erasmus Mundus Day at the Visayas State University. VSU president Dr. Jose L. Bacusmo joined EU delegates Guy Ledoux and Jaroslav Olsa, Jr. at the university’s function room to watch presentations and personal testimonials from VSU students and staff who became recipients of the Erasmus Mundus program.

The Erasmus Mundus program is a cooperation and mobility program that aims to enhance the quality of European higher education to people from Third Countries (countries not from the EU member states). The VSU students and staff who participated and finished further studies via the program related their experiences via slideshows. Leslie Ubaub, Manuel Gacutan, Jr., Alminda Fernandez, Pauline Caintic and Anabelle Tulin are alumni from the program and took turns in detailing the advantages of the program and the academic and personal experiences gained from it. Later, students and faculty members who attended were encouraged to ask questions to the EU delegates.

Watch the video here:

Also check out this gallery of the EU delegates visit to Visayas State University.