Saturday, March 03, 2007 SWU to link with universities overseas for postgrad courses
A LOCAL university is working on intensifying its linkages with foreign universities, particularly in the medical and paramedical fields.
Emma Ruth Bernad, Southwestern University (SWU) chief operating officer, said the university will be tapping medical schools in Korea, Japan and Thailand for postgraduate internships for its medical students.
“We are aggressive in providing unparalleled education among our students by making sure they land a job and utilize (their knowledge),” Bernad told Sun.Star Cebu during the opening of the university’s job fair last Tuesday.
She said the growing demand for nursing students abroad has pushed the university to soon tap medical schools abroad for a partnership that hopes to bring job opportunities for its nursing graduates.
The SWU Nursing department has a population of 4,000 to 5,000 students.
Bernad, meanwhile, said plans to set up a modular course or short courses that will cater to both local and foreign students are already among the university’s plans.
IT facilities
Other plans include upgrading information technology (IT) facilities to make it globally competitive in the information, communication and technology industry.
With the entry of more foreign business process outsourcing companies in the province, Cebu is slowly positioning itself as the next IT hub in Asia.
At this, several academic institutions have currently upgraded its computer science department to meet the demands for quality IT graduates.
“Our thrust is now more in the fields of medicine and computer science,” Bernad said.
SWU offers over 50 degree programs in the graduate and undergraduate levels, with a population of more than 10,000.
It has more than 400 faculty members and over 400 non-teaching personnel.
In 1994, the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities granted formal accreditation to the uni-versity’s colleges of nursing, teachers, and arts and sciences.
The Colleges of Commerce, Pharmacy, Engineering, and Computer Studies have already passed the preliminary survey. Other colleges are being prepared for the same survey.
SWU was founded in 1946 by Don Matias Hipolito Chavez Aznar II and his wife Doña Anunciacion Barcenilla Aznar, who were both pharmacists.
The university opened its first four-day job fair with more than 25 companies representing different sectors like call centers, food establishments, telecommunications and broadcast media, among others. (MMM)
