27 October 2023
On October 27, 2023, ceremony of signing cooperation agreement between MGIMO and the New Era University (Philippines) was held.
The event was attended by H.E. Igor Bailen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to the Russian Federation, Mr. Jose Carlo Morales, Consul of the Embassy, Dr. Carlos Tabunda, Dean of the Faculty of International Relations and Director of Russian Studies Centre, New Era University. MGIMO side was represented by Dr. Andrey Baykov, Vice-Rector for Science and Research, and Dr. Ekaterina Koldunova, Director of the ASEAN Centre. Participants of the meeting also were representatives of International Relations Department of MGIMO, representatives of the Embassy of the Russian Federation to the Philippines and New Era University.
The event’s participants joined a discussion devoted to the previous five-year lasting cooperation between MGIMO and the New Era University. Vice Rector for Science and Research Dr. Andrey Baykov emphasized the importance and fruitfulness of the inter-university cooperation and expressed his gratitude to Dr. Carlos Tabunda for his personal participation in many of the ASEAN Centre’s projects as well as his input to the development of the Russian Studies in the Philippines. H.E. Igor Bailen, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Russia, highly appreciated the results of the work done by MGIMO and the ASEAN Centre aimed at strengthening relations between Russia and the Philippines in academic and educational areas. Dr. Franklin Bunag, Vice President for Administrative Affairs of New Era University mentioned the commitment of both sides to proceed with the cooperation further. Dr. Ekaterina Koldunova, Director of the ASEAN Centre, told the audience about many projects that were implemented within the framework of the memorandum of cooperation that was signed in 2018 during the visit of the President of the Republic of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte (2016-2022) to MGIMO. She also highlighted the importance of maintaining cooperation between the universities. Dr. Carlos Tabunda, in turn, expressed his gratitude to the ASEAN Centre for the opportunity to addend the ceremony in person and outlined the MGIMO BA and MA students’ interest in such topics as the Russia-Philippines relations.
Dr. Igor Okunev, Director of the Center for Spatial Analysis of International Relations, also took part in the discussion. He shared his impressions of his recent visit to the Philippines, during which he delivered lectures’ course for New Era University students and expressed his hope to continued inter-university cooperation.
Following the meeting, MGIMO and New Era University signed a cooperation agreement for the following five years. The parties agreed development of students’ and academic exchanges.
During the current visit Dean Tabunda delivered a course of lecturers about the foreign policy of the Philippines to the students of MA Program “Political Economy of ASEAN-Russia Strategic Partnership” and an open lecture for the Southeast Asian students club of Scientific Students Society of MGIMO.
