Philippines, Timor-Leste renew higher educ pact

CEBU, Philippines — The Philippines and Timor-Leste have renewed their cooperation in higher education through a bilateral agreement that seeks to expand student and faculty mobility, research collaboration, and human resource development between the two countries.

Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Shirley Agrupis, representing the Philippines, and Timor-Leste Vice Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Higher Education, Science and Culture Mariano Assanami Sabino Lopes signed the memorandum of understanding during the Higher Education Partnerships Conference in Cebu on Thursday, October 1.

Agrupis said the bilateral agreement provides a platform for the Philippines, particularly CHED, to expand and strengthen its existing partnership with Timor-Leste.

“As mentioned in the speeches a while ago, the area of cooperation revolves around the core function of higher education, with focus on quality assurance and instruction, and it covers student mobility, faculty mobility, manpower development, joint research activity, and engagement to our community,” Agrupis said.

She described the agreement as timely, particularly as the Philippines hosts Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) activities in 2026 and Timor-Leste joins the regional bloc.

“This is a go signal and a manifestation, and as in accordance with our theme, ‘Navigating our Future Together,’ the Philippine higher education is ready to navigate with Timor-Leste as they are going to build the pillars and foundation of their higher education,” Agrupis said.

Agrupis said the agreement would also allow student exchanges between the two countries.

“Since 2009 until now, there are about 200 Timor-Leste students who are coming here. But with this bilateral agreement, the partnership is expanded and strengthened,” she said.

“It is not only Timor-Leste students who are coming here. Maybe our students will be moving in for a short visit, for immersion, whatever they have in Timor-Leste,” she added.

Lopes, meanwhile, said the agreement would help strengthen Timor-Leste’s higher education sector as the country continues its state and nation building efforts.

“On behalf of the government and people of Timor-Leste, thank you to the government and the people of the Philippines for Timor-Leste membership in ASEAN. And now, thanks for the education, for your support for the agreement,” Lopes said.

“As you know, Timor-Leste is now in the process of state and nation-building. That’s why the human resource is very important. We are focused on the support for the human resource,” he said.

Lopes said Timor-Leste has established two funds to support the country’s development, one for infrastructure and another for human resource development.

“We created two funds: one fund for the infrastructure, and the second is fund for the human resource, because the human resource is to develop Timor-Leste immediately,” he said.

He expressed hope that the agreement would translate into concrete cooperation in higher education, particularly by providing more opportunities for their students to study in the Philippines.

“We hope after the memorandum, we need realize to cooperate in the higher education, and also especially for the students to study in the Philippines, very important,” Lopes said.

He noted that the Philippines and Timor-Leste have maintained educational ties since the signing of their previous agreement in 2009.

“After the 2009 we signed, now the result is 200 students finished in the Philippines,” Lopes said.

Lopes also pointed to similarities between the two countries, saying Timor-Leste has Philippine-supported kindergarten and primary school programs.

“That’s why the system, the culture, the ideology, we are the same,” he said.

The new agreement covers cooperation in areas including quality assurance, instruction, student and faculty mobility, manpower development, joint research, and community engagement.

CHED said specific arrangements on student mobility, scholarships, and other programs may be covered through subsequent agreements between universities and higher education institutions.

Agrupis said opportunities under ASEAN networks could also support the expanded partnership.

“We have scholarships. We have so many opportunities to explore,” she said. — /MRM (FREEMAN)