The University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) and the University of Greenwich (UoG), United Kingdom, officially forged a strategic international partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on March 16, 2026, at the New Administration Building Conference Room, UPV Miagao campus.
UPV Chancellor Dr. Clement C. Camposano led the ceremonial signing of the agreement, which aims to strengthen institutional ties and advance academic and research linkages. Representing the official UoG signatory, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Westby, were key academic leaders Dr. Benz Kotzen and Dr. Elena Papadaki, who attended and witnessed the milestone on his behalf.
Joining the UoG delegates as witnesses for UPV were CFOS Dean Dr. Harold M. Monteclaro, CAS Dean Prof. Pepito R. Fernandez, Jr., Dr. Mary Grace C. Sedanza, Dr. Diana P. Paguntalan, and Asst. Prof. Fredson H. Huervana.
During the event, Chancellor Camposano expressed his support for the initiative, highlighting the importance of international collaboration in advancing research, sustainability, and community engagement.
Serving as the foundation of this collaboration is the Mass and Precise Mangrove Restoration Using Aerial Drone Systems (ManRADS) Project. Funded by the UK Darwin Initiative: Innovation and supported by the UPV Foundation, Inc., the project brings together researchers from both universities to pilot the use of aerial drone technology in restoring coastal mangrove ecosystems.
UoG’s Dr. Benz Kotzen, Professor Emeritus and ManRADS Program Leader, shared insights on the scalability of drone-assisted restoration. Representing local implementation, Dr. Mary Grace C. Sedanza, UPV Associate Professor and Philippines Co-Lead, outlined the project’s operational goals and highlighted the transformative potential of drone-assisted mangrove restoration to support biodiversity and address climate change.
Beyond the immediate scope of mangrove restoration, the MOU paves the way for broader academic exchanges and interdisciplinary synergy. The signing event opened discussions on UPV graduate programs and visiting professorship opportunities focusing on sustainability and landscape architecture, engaging UoG delegates and UPV Graduate School (UPV-GS) officials, including Dean Dr. Rodelio F. Subade and Secretary Dr. Nathaniel Añasco.
The institutional tie-up also champions a cross-disciplinary approach, bridging the sciences and the humanities. UoG’s Dr. Elena Papadaki, Associate Professor in Curation and Digital Arts, is collaborating with UPV’s Division of Humanities, represented by Chairperson Prof. Katherine Valencia, alongside project creative directors to integrate storytelling, digital documentation, and the arts into the project’s extension component.
The collaborative spirit was echoed by key academic leaders who witnessed the signing, including UPV-CFOS Dean Dr. Harold M. Monteclaro, who delivered the opening remarks emphasizing the importance of science-driven initiatives in addressing coastal and marine ecosystem challenges, and UPV-CAS Dean Prof. Pepito R. Fernandez, Jr., who formally closed the program by highlighting the critical need for interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing environmental challenges. Consultants and institutional partners, including Dr. Victor Marco Emmanuel Ferriols, Director of the UPV CFOS-IA, and Dr. Farisal U. Bagsit, Vice-Chancellor for Administration, further contributed their expertise in research, socio-economic analysis, gender considerations, and community engagement.
To immediately operationalize the agreement and align technical and communication efforts for the ManRADS Project, delegates convened for an afternoon coordination meeting at the UPV CFOS-IA Conference Room. The UoG representatives met with the UPV core research team, which included Dr. Mary Grace C. Sedanza, Dr. Diana P. Paguntalan, and Asst. Prof. Fredson H. Huervana. They were joined by Mr. Jonathan Chris C. Bañas, Project Technical Assistant, and Ms. Roshel Estember and Mr. Reynaljon Emperado, Project Technical Aides. Also present were the project’s creative leads: CFOS-IA University Extension Specialist Mr. Ian Esquivel (Director) and CAS Division of Humanities faculty member Ms. Anjelica Wong (Scriptwriter).
As this partnership moves forward, the MOU between UPV and UoG establishes a robust framework for shared academic pursuits, technological innovation, and community-driven research aimed at building long-term ecological resilience.
Written by Jonathan Chris C. Bañas, Project Technical Assistant, UPV ManRADS Project
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