DLSU-Chula Student Exchange Visit 2016

Seventeen (17) DLSU civil engineering students took part in the 10-day Chulalongkorn University Student Exchange Program 2016 from August 31 to September 9 accompanied by DLSU civil engineering professors, Dr. Mario De Leon and Engr. Marcus Kyle Baron. The purpose of the program was to strengthen the bond between De La Salle University and Chulalongkorn University (CU) by giving the exchange students a chance to experience the life in each other’s campus and culture. 

 DLSU Students with Dr. Mario De Leon and Engr. Marcus Kyle Baron at

NAIA International Airport Terminal 1

The students visited the CU Civil Engineering Building to meet with some of its faculty and students. An orientation regarding ASEAN Scholarships was held to expose the students to their opportunity in pursuing higher studies. 

DLSU Students in the orientation about the AUN/SEED-NET

Afterwards, a research forum was conducted wherein selected DLSU exchange students as well as CU students presented their thesis. In this event, the students were given a chance to communicate with the CU students intellectually by asking questions to the presenters. 

DLSU exchange student, Marvin Aguilar, presenting his group’s thesis entitled “The Effect of Lane Changing Behavior on the Approach Ramp of a Road Overpass”

The students were then toured around the civil engineering laboratory facilities who were guided by some of the CU professors. Their laboratory facilities were fully equipped and have a conducive learning environment. Also, the students had the chance to see an experiment going on in their laboratory for testing materials. The CU civil engineering professors who accommodated the tour in their laboratory facilities were very kind and encouraged the students to ask questions. The CU students then continued the tour by guiding the group around the campus and by sharing some historical and cultural facts along the way which involved the visit to their museum and to the statue of King Chulalongkorn and King Vajiravudh. Before parting ways, the group showed their gratitude to the CU professors and students by giving them tokens.

DLSU Students with Dr. Mario De Leon, Engr. Marcus Kyle Baron, and CU Civil Engineering Associate Professor Dr. Akhrawat Lenwari in front of the CU Civil Engineering Building

DLSU Students with Dr. Mario De Leon, Engr. Marcus Kyle Baron, Engr. Jem Jayme, Ms. Joy Jongruamklang, and CU Students in front of the statue of King Chulalongkorn and King Vajiravudh in Chulalongkorn University

Two days were allocated for visits to cultural sites of Thailand in which the trip to these sites requires long rides by bus. One of the cultural sites that the students visited was the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market where they had a boat ride paddled by a Thai person or operated by a motor. The boat ride travelled a small canal with stalls at the sides selling different goods and merchandise for tourists. The students were also able to ride an old train that travels the Burma Railway (Death Railway) which was constructed by the Japanese during the World War II. On the second cultural visit day, the students went to Bang Pa-In Royal Palace which were used by Thai kings before, Wat Yai Chai Mongkon which is a Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya with a big lying Buddha, and Ayutthaya Historical Park where the old city of Ayutthaya was located which is now full of its ruins. Despite the long travel time, the visits were worth it as the students were able to have a glimpse of Thai history and culture. Afterwards, the students had their lunch in a cruise ship which traveled the Chao Phraya River, the major river in Thailand, for around 2 hours. As the cruise traveled the river, the students saw some of their remarkable bridges wherein their culture can even be seen in their design.

DLSU Students roaming around the Bang Pa-In Royal Palace

The students also had the chance to visit the ongoing construction of G Tower, a G-shaped building that will stand next to The Super Tower, the tallest ASEAN skyscraper that the G Land developer plans to build. Afterwards, the students went to visit the ongoing construction of Bang Sue – Rangsit Railway which is part of the planned Mass Transit System Project that will be beneficial and strategic for Bangkok’s transportation system.

DLSU Students with Dr. Mario De Leon, Engr. Marcus Kyle Baron, and CU graduate students with Dr.Vachara Peansupap and Project Engineers in the construction site visit in Bang Sue - Rangsit Railway

The remaining days were used as free days for the students to roam around Bangkok and experience its modern lifestyle. They were lucky to have a chance to shop for pasalubongs in Chatuchak, a big market full of different kinds of merchandise which is open only during weekends. They also went to Siam Square where shopping malls are located and to night markets to eat different Thai foods.

The exchange program gave the students the chance to experience Thai culture and to meet some of the professors and students of Chulalongkorn University which is helpful in strengthening the bond between the two universities.

Prepared by:

DLSU Student Exchange Visit 2016 Participants

GCOE explores Cooperative Activities with Meijo University

At Meijo University with Dr.  Fukushima and Dr. Kumara

Considering that De La Salle University has a MOA with Meijo University since 2004, the GCOE group composed of Dr. Jonathan Dungca (GCOE Dean), Mr. Dennis Cruz (GCOE Director for External Affairs), Dr. Pag-asa Gaspillo (Vice-Chancellor of DLSU STC) and Dr. Andres Oreta (GCOE QA Director visited Meijo University last Dec. 15, 2015 to explore future cooperative and collaborative activities under its MOA on exchange of students, faculty, scientific information and materials and joint research/meetings. The GCOE group met Dr. Shigeru Fukushima (VP, Office of Int’l Affairs), Dr. Ananda Kumara (Dean, Department of Foreign Studies), Dr. Mami Futagami (Prof. , Foreign Studies), Dr. Ge Hanbin (Prof., Structural Eng’g) and the staff of the Office of Student Affairs and Dept. of Foreign Studies. 

Based on the meeting Meijo U is proposing that DLSU accept Meijo U students enrolled in their new program on Foreign Studies which will start on April 2016 for short exchange program with activities such as English Lessons, OJT, Practicum and/or, Community Engagement. This exchange program aims to develop the English proficiency and communication and people skills of the students and expand their knowledge on the culture, government and education of a foreign country like the Philippines. Other possible activities will be faculty and student exchange on research in civil engineering, mathematics and other fields where Meijo U has expertise.

With Dr. Ge Hanbin (Structural Eng'g Professor at Meijo U)

GCOE signs MOA with Nagoya University

DLSU-GCOE and NU MOA Signing

The Gokongwei College of Engineering (GCOE) has committed to pursue academic exchange and cooperation with Nagoya University (NU) with the signing of  the following two documents last December 14, 2015: (a) Agreement for Academic Exchange and Cooperation between the College of Engineering, De La Salle University, Philippines and the Graduate Schools of Engineering and the Graduate Schools of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Japan, (b) Student Exchange Memorandum between the Gokongwei College of Engineering, De La Salle University and  the Graduate Schools of Engineering and the Graduate Schools of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University.

Dr. Dungca presents the DLSU Centennial Book to Prof. Niimi

Signing for GCOE were Dr. Jonathan Dungca (GCOE Dean) and Mr. Dennis Cruz (GCOE Director for External Affairs). Prof. Tomohide Niimi, (Dean of the Graduate School and School of Engineering) and Prof.Hiroshi Kanzawa (Dean, Graduate School of Environmental Studies) signed for Nagoya University.The signing of the MOA was part of the Networking Mission of the GCOE team composed of Dr. Dungca, Mr. Cruz, Dr. Pag-asa Gaspillo (Vice-Chancellor of DLSU STC) and Dr. Andres Oreta (GCOE QA Director). Dr. Gaspillo and Dr. Oreta are alumni of Nagoya University and vice President and secretary of the Nagoya University Alumni Association – Philippine Branch, respectively. Engr. Rodolfo Mendoza, former part-time faculty of the CE Dept. who is now a PhD student at Nagoya University also joined the meetings.

N2U-Bridge Site Visit with Dr. Miura

Disaster Mitigation Research Center with Dr. Noda

The GCOE Networking at Nagoya University includes visits of the N2U-BRIDGE (Nexco-Central and Nagoya University, Bridge Model with Restoration and Integrated Deterioration for Global Engineers), Geotechnical Engineering Lab and the Disaster Mitigation Research Center. Discussion meetings with the Professors of the Department of Civil Engineering,  Environmental Science and Chemical Engineering were conducted.

Infront of the Nagoya University Marker and Toyoda Auditorium

Dr. Gaspillo presents the DLSU STC during the meeting

 DLSU GCOE will explore the PhD sandwich program, short research visits of faculty and graduate students and technical tours as possible activities with Nagoya University. Nagoya University launched last Dec 2, 2015 a satellite campus at UPLB for the Agricultural Science and International Development PhD Programs. DLSU GCOE will also explore the possibility of inviting NU to set-up also a satellite campus for Engineering programs at the STC.

Infront of the Nagoya University Nobel Prize Exhibition Hall

Nagoya University is one of the leading universities in Japan and in the world. Since 2001, six of its researchers and professors received Nobel Awards for outstanding research in chemistry and physics.

CE Dept hosted visiting associate professors from Yangon Technological University (YTU)

Three associate professors from Yangon Technological University (YTU), Myanmar visited De La Salle University from September 24 to October 7, 2015. This visit was made possible through the AUN/SEED-Net Short Term Visit Program in ASEAN (SVAS) 2015. Dr. Kyaw Kyaw, Dr. Khin Aye Mon and Dr. Zin Mar Lar Tin San visited the Department of Civil Engineering with Dr. Lessandro Estelito Garciano as their host professor. AUN/SEED-Net identified the following objectives of this program:

•  To enhance the teaching and research capacity of Member Institution (MI) faculty staff;
•  To improve capacity of MIs, primarily in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV);
•  To boost research collaboration in 10 engineering fields among all MIs and to
• To  strengthen sustainability of academic network through continuous collaboration among MIs.

One important output, among others, of this visit was a research proposal that will be submitted to the AUN/SEED-Net Common Regional Concern (CRC) 2016 call for proposals. Three universities will collaborate in this effort: YTU, DLSU and Kyoto University as the Japanese Supporting University (JSU). The research team is composed of the following:

a.       Dr. Kyaw Kyaw – Principal Investigator

b.      Prof. Junji Kiyono (Kyoto University) – Co-investigator

c.       Dr. Lessandro Garciano – Co-researcher

d.      Prof. Andres Winston C. Oreta - Co-researcher

e.       Dr. Khin Aye Mon – co-researcher

f.       Dr. Zin Mar Lar Tin San – co-researcher

g.      Prof. Takeshi Koike (YTU) – Co- researcher

The proposal intends to promote collaboration and research in the field of disaster preparedness and mitigation in ASEAN countries.

- by Dr. Lessandro Garciano