3 Butuan City schools ink academic, cultural accord with Japan's Toyo University

BUTUAN CITY, Philippines — Three Butuan City colleges and universities, Fr. Saturnino Urios University (FSUU), the first Roman Catholic University established in Butuan City, state-owned Caraga State University and St. Joseph Institute of Technology (SJIT) signed a memorandum of agreement for academic and cultural collaboration with Japan’s Toyo University, one of the oldest Universities in Tokyo, Japan.

Rev. Pastor Missionary Wilson Mixon Wayne who is spiritual and advocacy adviser of the Butuan City Mayor told The STAR Butuan City officials headed by Mayor Amante and Vice Mayor Lawrence Fortun witnessed the signing at Toyo University in Tokyo, Japan.

Butuan City officials witnessed the accord signing in Tokyo, Japan at the Toyo University on Monday with Toyo University president and professor Makio Takemura signing for Toyo University.

Signing for Fr. Saturnino Urios University was its president Fr. John Young, Nick Salas, President of Saint Joseph Institute of Technology (SJIT) and the Caraga State University (CSU) by Dr. Joanna Cuenca, CSU president and former Commission on Higher Education (CHED) regional director for Caraga Region.

The MOA signing puts into academic history that the three Butuan City schools were the first academic institutions from the Philippines with whom Toyo University has signed an academic and cultural collaborations exchange programs for academic and research development.

The 125 years old Toyo University has signed similar accords with academic institutions from 14 different countries such as Ireland, eight universities from United States in the likes of California State University; UK, Uzbekistan, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, China, Korea and Taiwan.

The history of Toyo University dates to 1887 when philosopher Dr. Enryo Inoue founded the Tetsugakukan (Private Academy of Philosophy) now Toyo University.

The Toyo University founder believes that all knowledge was grounded in philosophy, regardless of whether it originated in the East or the West.

What Dr. Inoue envisioned was not a school for the cultivation of would-be philosophers, but rather a means of intellectual and spiritual refinement, a study that would necessitate acquiring abilities applicable beyond the field of philosophy.

Butuan City Mayor Dr. Ferdinand Amante Jr heads the 30-man delegation from Butuan City composed of officials and representatives from business and the academe, local government officials from Butuan City and some national government agencies officials on an investment and observation tour in Japan.