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)
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