ADNU and FUJIAN Seal International Exchange Program Agreement

Mr. Juiyian Zhang, Executive Secretary of the Fujian Education Association for International Exchange in China arrived in Naga City last September 17, 2007 for a four-day visit in order to seal the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) for the faculty and student exchange program between the Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU) and China.

The MOA between ADNU and FUJIAN covered a wide range of areas for cooperation which includes: 1) agreement for ADNU to accept an initial thirty (30) to fifty (50) Chinese students to enrol in selected course offerings; 2)  exchange of ADNU teachers to teach English language to Chinese teachers and of Chinese teachers to teach ADNU faculty and students the Mandarin Language; 3) establishment of a Chinese Language Center in ADNU; 4) establishment of an Institute for Chinese Studies; and, 5) promotion  of  faculty and student cultural exposure programs.

The local government of Naga City, represented by the City Vice-Mayor Gabriel Bordado, the City Tourism Officer, Mr. Joe Perez and the City Planning and Development Coordinator, Mr. Wilfredo Prilles joined the Ateneo community in a welcome dinner given in honour of the guests.  They also hosted a luncheon for the Chinese delegation to express their full collaboration and endorsement of this exchange relationship between ADNU and China. Two other notable organizations from the Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Naga and Legazpi headed by their respective presidents, Mr. Fidel Cu and Mr. Henry Yu, strongly endorsed the agreement and have pledged their cooperation and support for the program.

The Fujian delegates together with the ADNU President, Fr. Joel E. Tabora, S.J., also made a courtesy call to the office of Dr. Dominador Peralta, Regional Director of the Commission on Higher Education in Legazpi.  Dr. Peralta conveyed his support for ADNU-China student and faculty exchange program. 

Mr. Zhang’s party included Mr. Renaldo Tang, a Filipino-Chinese industrialist based in Manila, Mr. Charlie Co and Mr. Howard Co, proprietors of several private English schools in the Fujian province, Ms. Li Jiahiu, a journalist and Ms. Jian Lan, a Chinese teacher teaching English.