𝘋𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 5-10, 2024, 𝘛𝘢𝘪𝘸𝘢𝘯

To strengthen its international academic ties, Partido State University (ParSU) renewed its Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Taiwan-Philippines Science and Technology Innovation Center for Indigenous Knowledge, Local Knowledge, and Sustainability Studies (CTPILS) at National Chengchi University (NCCU), Taiwan, in a ceremony held during the 2024 Indigeneity and Landscape Analysis Workshop. The MOU signing was one of the key highlights of the event, which took place from December 5-10, 2024, at the Dah Hsian Seetoo Library in Taipei and the Saisiat PakaSan Community in Nanzhuang Township, Miaoli County.

The renewed MOU signed by Dr. Shu-Heng Chen, Vice President of NCCU and Principal Investigator of CTPILS, and ParSU President Dr. Arnel B. Zarcedo, aims to strengthen academic cooperation, including joint research projects, educational exchanges, and co-hosting international conferences. This partnership will remain effective for two years, during which both institutions will work on sharing academic materials, receiving educational visits, and engaging in various activities to promote mutual understanding and collaboration in Indigenous knowledge, sustainability, and cultural studies. The MOU signing was made possible through the support of CTPILS-NCCU Executive Director Professor Da-Wei Kuan and Dr. Stephen Acabado of University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

The workshop, co-hosted by NCCU, the Nanzhuang Saisiat PakaSan Cooperative, and sponsored by the Taiwan Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency, brought together participants from a diverse group of institutions, including Save the Ifugao Terraces Movement, Ifugao State University, Pangasinan Polytechnic College, University of Toyama, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Archaeological Society of Taiwan, National Taiwan University, Khu Kinbaqan na Tayal (Educational Research Center), UCLA, faculty and graduate students from National Chengchi University. 

Keynote speaker Dr. Chieh-fu Jeff Cheng, Secretary General of the Archaeological Society of Taiwan, and experts from various universities led insightful presentations on indigenous approaches to land, space, and landscapes. Notably, young scholars presented their work on landscape analysis through multiple disciplines such as ethnography, cultural geography, archaeology, and Geographic Information Systems. In a group discussion, scholars focused on integrating indigenous knowledge with contemporary research practices, particularly fostering community involvement in knowledge co-production. 

Concluding the first day, Dr. Zarcedo expressed his gratitude to NCCU for providing an avenue to engage with such diverse scholars and emphasized the importance of preserving and amplifying Indigenous knowledge for a sustainable future. The participants also visited the Saisiat PakaSan Community in Miaoli County, where they observed indigenous practices of sustainable forest management and environmental conservation. The community has successfully integrated indigenous knowledge with modern technology to enhance the value of forest products while minimizing waste. Various stakeholders, including the Forest Bureau, China Airlines, and National Chengchi University, have supported the forest conservation efforts of the Saisiat PakaSan Community. The workshop's final day concluded with visiting the Museum of Ethnology at NCCU and a brief Taipei city tour, allowing participants to appreciate Taiwan's rich cultural heritage further.

The renewed MOU marks a significant step in fostering international cooperation between ParSU and NCCU, paving the way for future academic and research collaborations.

Together with Dr. Zarcedo to represent ParSU were Board Secretary V  and Director of International Affairs Ms. Leih Anne R. Odoño, Director of Museo de Isarog Ms. Karen Eyre Moshie O. Artiaga, and Faculty of the College of Science Ms. Czarina Nicole Macatingrao. 

𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴: 𝘔𝘴. 𝘓𝘦𝘪𝘩 𝘈𝘯𝘯𝘦 𝘙. 𝘖𝘥𝘰ñ𝘰/ 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘴: 𝘔𝘴. 𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘈𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘢, 𝘔𝘴. 𝘓𝘦𝘪𝘩 𝘈𝘯𝘯𝘦 𝘖𝘥𝘰ñ𝘰, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘳. 𝘟𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘨