The College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences (CFOS) made another milestone for UP Visayas (UPV) for making it as the first university in the country to be granted the status of Core Member of the ASEAN Fisheries Education Network (ASEAN-FEN), a university-based consortia of fisheries and aquaculture institutions in the Southeast Asia aimed to support and enhance the region's fisheries and aquaculture sector through education, research, and public outreach.
The ASEAN-FEN Board and Core Members unanimously granted the elevation of UPV from Associate to 10th Core Member of the esteemed organization, taking into account the latter’s commitment to academic excellence, regional collaboration, and sustainable development. UPV, through CFOS, was an Associate Member of ASEAN-FEN since December 2015.
The announcement was made by the ASEAN-FEN Secretary of the Board and Director of the Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia, Prof. Dr. Yeong Yik Sung, at the Opening Program of the 2023 International Fisheries Symposium (IFS) organized by the ASEAN-FEN held on November 22, 2023, at Novotel Future Park Rangsit Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand.
CFOS Dean Prof. Encarnacion Emilia S. Yap received the Certificate of Core Membership from ASEAN-FEN Chairman and Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Malaysia Prof. Ts. Dr. Mohd. Effendy bin Abd. Wahid . Yap was joined in this momentous event by the Advisors, Board Members, and Core Deans of ASEAN-FEN.
The ASEAN-FEN governing body lauded the contributions and support of UPV to the organization over the years. They underscored UPV’s vital role in fostering educational and research initiatives that align with ASEAN-FEN goals and values.
“The University has been at the forefront of promoting interdisciplinary research, addressing regional challenges, and contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the fields of environment, fisheries, and natural resources. The University’s dedication to producing high-quality research that directly impacts the sustainable development of our region is truly commendable,” said Prof. Yeong Yik Sung.
They also believed that with its core membership status, UPV could further strengthen and enrich the organization’s efforts towards sustainable development in the fisheries and aquatic sectors.
“By granting core membership to UP Visayas, we not only recognize its past contributions but also encourage and facilitate even greater collaboration and synergy among member institutions,” Sung further stated.
Composed of 42 universities, ASEAN-FEN now has 10 Core Members that include Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (Malaysia), Universiti Sains Malaysia (Malaysia); Can Tho University (Vietnam), Nong Lam University (Vietnam); Universitas Airlangga (Indonesia), Universitas Brawijaya (Indonesia); Rajamangala University of Technology Srivijaya (Thailand), Prince of Songkla University (Thailand), and Kasetsart University (Thailand), and the University of the Philippines Visayas (Philippines).
The organization has 27 associate institutional members from Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, The Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei; and five ASEAN-FEN+ Institutional members from Japan, China, Thailand, and France.
The six associate member fisheries schools from the Philippines are Central Luzon State University, Pangasinan State University, Mindanao State University-Maguindanao, Mindanao State University – Naawan, Visayas State University- Tolosa, and Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University.
