ISU opens center for indigenous studies

LAMUT, Ifugao -- The Ifugao State University (IFSU) formally opened the  International  Innovation Center for Indigenous Studies (IICIS) at its main campus in Nayon, this town in efforts to strengthen  cooperation on  indigenous knowledge   and sustainable development studies.

IFSU President Dr. Eva Marie Dugyon; Nga-Ping Ong – Chairperson, Department of Ethnology, National Chengchi University (NCU) – Taiwan and Stephen Acabado, associate professor of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) led the opening of the IICIS on July 12.

The center was the product of the memorandum of understanding between IFSU and NCU officials on May 25 this year for the promotion of international academic cooperation and research experiences for both universities.

“It is significant that we are strengthening our cooperation especially at this time when we face considerable challenges affecting our indigenous knowledge systems and practices, our ecology, environment, cultures and even our identity as people,” Dugyon said.

The center is envisioned as the academic pioneer of indigenous knowledge and sustainable development studies; sharing of experience of development and building mutual support between indigenous community in different countries and the Philippine geography and language as a platform of the international academic community.

Among its mission are development studies and regional management and cultural ecology. Its annual goals focus on academic research and social practice and administration with IFSU, NCU, UCLA and University of Hawai’I at Manoa as main collaborative partners.

Eulalie Dulnuan, project manager, said the center aims to become a sustainable institution to share research results indigenous peoples, non-government organizations; build a platform cooperated and managed by the international collaborators and enhance international connections and fund raising. (JDP/MBL, PIA CAR, Ifugao)