The University of the Cordilleras strengthened its global engagement in 2024 through international collaborations that support SDG 17.2.4. By partnering with institutions across Asia, Europe, and the United States, UC expanded research, academic exchange, and capacity-building initiatives in disaster resilience, wildlife forensics, cybersecurity, nursing, and criminal justice. These cross-border partnerships enabled the university to integrate global expertise, conduct comparative research, and develop internationally informed best practices that contribute to both local and global SDG efforts.
Global Collaboration for MSGeoDRR Program for Disaster Resilience
The University of the Cordilleras (UC) achieved a significant milestone with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approval of its Master of Science in Geomatics for Disaster Risk Reduction (MSGeoDRR) program. This program emphasizes the integration of geospatial technology, data analytics, and disaster risk governance to prepare professionals to analyze and mitigate the impacts of natural hazards and climate change. The approval not only affirms the program’s national relevance and global competitiveness but also solidifies UC’s commitment to sustainability-driven education and its leadership in transdisciplinary approaches to disaster resilience. International collaboration, through research and comparative approaches, was essential in the program’s development and implementation. UC representatives actively participated in international events, including the Project Manager’s Meeting at Xavier University in January 2024 to discuss sustainability strategies, and the Final Conference at Universiti Utara Malaysia in October 2024. This conference gathered experts from across Asia to share innovations in geo-disaster management and sustainable development. UC’s engagement in these international forums strengthens its research linkages and reaffirms its role in the global effort to advance climate resilience and disaster preparedness by cultivating experts in geo-disaster risk reduction.
Establishing a Wildlife Forensic DNA Barcoding Laboratory
UC is fulfilling SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through an international collaboration with USAID Philippines, alongside the Gerry Roxas Foundation Inc. and the DENR-CAR. This partnership, formalized with a PHP 3.6 million grant from USAID’s INSPIRE Project, focuses on establishing a Wildlife Forensic DNA Barcoding Laboratory. This initiative directly demonstrates the adoption of international best practices in scientific and forensic technology to enhance capabilities for wildlife specimen examination, thereby supporting SDG 15 (Life on Land) by combating illegal wildlife trade and strengthening biodiversity conservation.
Another international collaboration championing the best practices in SDG is the Securing the Cyber Domain Initiative (SCDI). In response to the growing threats in today’s digital landscape, the University of the Cordilleras (UC), in partnership with the University of Cincinnati, and with support from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Foreign Scholarships and Training Program (FSTP), launched the Securing the Cyber Domain Initiative (SCDI), an international cybersecurity training program designed for civilian and military officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
The initiative enhanced UC’s institutional capacity in cybersecurity education and research by establishing a sustained partnership with the University of Cincinnati and CHED-FSTP. It provided advanced training to select civilian and military personnel, strengthening the country’s cyber defense capabilities. The program also positioned UC as a regional leader in cybersecurity and transnational collaboration, contributing to national policy directions on digital security and resilience.
UC College of Nursing Strengthens International Ties with Universitas Katolik Indonesia Santu Paulus Ruteng
The academic partnership between the University of the Cordilleras College of Nursing (UC-CON) in the Philippines and Universitas Katolik Indonesia Santu Paulus Ruteng (UNIKA) in Indonesia serves as a crucial mechanism for operationalizing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 17.2.4: Collaboration for SDG best practice. This collaboration, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), strategically focuses on key human development areas, primarily Maternal and Child Health (SDG 3), Quality Education (SDG 4), and Gender Equality (SDG 5). By establishing an equitable platform for knowledge transfer and capacity building, the partnership maximizes intellectual leverage between Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs), addressing the global SDG investment gap. The core of the collaboration is joint research, which fulfills the SDG 17.2.4 mandate to “review comparative approaches” by analyzing critical differences in healthcare systems. For example, comparative analysis of Antenatal Care (ANC) access shows that rural women are statistically more likely to make four or more visits in the Philippines, while urban women are more likely in Indonesia. Similarly, the institutions jointly review the significant differences in how technological, social, and educational factors influence traditional postpartum care beliefs in the two nations.
Rights2Life: Towards a Responsive Criminal Justice System in the Philippines
The University of the Cordilleras (UC), in partnership with Ghent University in Belgium, implements the Rights2Life: Towards a Responsive Criminal Justice System in the Philippines project, a transformative five-year international collaboration supported by a ₱16.2 million grant from VLIR-OUS (Flemish Interuniversity Council–University Development Cooperation). This initiative seeks to strengthen the Philippine criminal justice system through research, education, and community engagement anchored on human rights principles.
The Rights2Life project is built upon six interrelated domains:
- A Human Rights-based Education in Place – integrating human rights perspectives into criminal justice education and professional training;
- A Strengthened Research and Development – fostering evidence-based policy and practice through multidisciplinary research;
- Enlightened and Empowered Communities – promoting public awareness and participation in upholding justice and human rights;
- Competent Criminal Justice Moves – enhancing the knowledge, skills, and ethical grounding of justice practitioners;
- A System-transformation Multi-stakeholder Partnership – facilitating cooperation among academia, government, and civil society for systemic reform; and
- Well-equipped Laboratory and Library Resources – upgrading UC’s facilities to support advanced research and instruction in criminal justice.
Through Rights2Life, UC reinforces its commitment to academic excellence, social responsibility, and global collaboration in pursuit of a more just, rights-based, and responsive criminal justice system. The initiative contributes directly to SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, underscoring the university’s role in advancing equitable and sustainable societal transformation.
2024 Institutional Exchange marked a significant milestone in the University of the Cordilleras (UC)–Ghent University partnership
The 2024 Institutional Exchange marked a significant milestone in the University of the Cordilleras (UC)–Ghent University partnership under the Rights2LIFE Project. Led by the President of the University of the Cordilleras, Dr. Nancy M. Flores, the Philippine delegation included the Dean of the College of Criminal Justice Education, Dr. Robino D. Cawi and the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Research, Dr. Ariel Nimo B. Pumecha, who sought opportunities for future faculty collaboration and academic exchange. The visit centered on high-level dialogues aimed at strengthening institutional partnerships and identifying strategic directions for sustained engagement. A key highlight of the exchange was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two universities, reaffirming their shared commitment to advancing academic excellence, research collaboration, and internationalization.
Advancing Criminology Across Borders
Ms. Zedny C. Immatong, who was awarded the Fulbright Foreign Student Program scholarship for AY 2024–2025 to pursue her Ph.D. in Criminology and Justice Studies at the University of Massachusetts–Lowell, exemplifies UC’s commitment to advancing international collaboration and research-based best practice development. Her comparative study of correctional systems in the United States and the Philippines supports the global goal of reviewing diverse approaches to generate evidence-based insights. Through cross-border academic exchange and knowledge sharing, she aims to develop internationally informed best practices in correctional reform, human rights protection, and justice administration that can be adapted to the Philippine context. This global partnership reinforces UC’s role in promoting internationally benchmarked research and contributing to innovation in criminology.
| SDG | Indicator | How the University’s Initiatives Align |
| 3 – Good Health and Well-Being | 3.1 – Reduce global maternal mortality ratio | Joint nursing research between UC and UNIKA analyzes differences in maternal healthcare access and postpartum beliefs, helping identify gaps that influence maternal health outcomes in rural and urban communities in the Philippines and Indonesia. |
| 3.2 – End preventable deaths of newborns and children under five | Collaborative studies on antenatal care (ANC) patterns and maternal–child health practices contribute to improving newborn and child health outcomes through comparative evidence-based insights. | |
| 4 – Quality Education | 4.3 – Equal access to quality tertiary education | The MSGeoDRR program enhances access to advanced, globally relevant education in disaster risk reduction, while the SCDI initiative strengthens cybersecurity education through international faculty exchange and training. |
| 5 – Gender Equality | 5.1 – End all forms of discrimination against women and girls | Comparative research on postpartum care beliefs and maternal health practices addresses gender-based disparities in health systems, promoting culturally sensitive interventions that support women’s health and empowerment. |
| 15 – Life on Land | 15.7 – Combat poaching and trafficking of protected species | Through the USAID-funded Wildlife Forensic DNA Barcoding Laboratory, UC contributes to biodiversity protection by adopting international forensic standards and improving wildlife crime detection capabilities, supporting government efforts to stop illegal wildlife trade. |
| 17 – Partnerships for the Goals | 17.2.4 – Collaboration for SDG Best Practice | Through Ms. Zedny C. Immatong’s Fulbright-funded doctoral studies at the University of Massachusetts–Lowell, UC advances global collaboration by supporting comparative research on correctional systems in the US and the Philippines. This international academic exchange fosters knowledge sharing and the development of evidence-based best practices that strengthen justice reform and promote globally aligned criminology research. |
References:
“MSGeoDRR Program Strengthens Global Collaboration in Disaster Resilience” Retrieved from https://cea.uc-bcf.edu.ph/2024/10/12/msgeodrr-program-strengthens-global-collaboration-in-disaster-resilience/
“UC Partners with USAID, Gerry Roxas Foundation, & DENR to establish Wildlife DNA Barcoding Lab” Retrived from https://web.uc-bcf.edu.ph/2024/12/05/uc-partners-with-usaid-gerry-roxas-foundation-denr-to-establish-wildlife-dna-barcoding-lab/
“UC College of Nursing Strengthens International Ties with Universitas Katolik Indonesia Santu Paulus Ruteng” Retrieved from https://con.uc-bcf.edu.ph/2024/08/26/uc-con-dean-strengthens-ties-with-indonesian-partner-and-inspires-future-nurses-at-international-seminar/
UC Leads International Cybersecurity Training with University of Cincinnati for AFP Personnel Retrieved from https://geo.uc-bcf.edu.ph/2024/10/03/uc-leads-international-cybersecurity-training-with-university-of-cincinnati-for-afp-personnel/
“Rights2Life: Towards a Responsive Criminal Justice System in the Philippines” Retrieved from http://rights2life.uc-bcf.edu.ph/
Advancing Criminology Across Borders: The Fulbright Journey of Ms. Zedny C. Immatong. Retrieved from https://ccje.uc-bcf.edu.ph/2024/08/01/advancing-criminology-across-borders-the-fulbright-journey-of-ms-zedny-c-immatong/
