International university to set up Palayan campus

PALAYAN CITY—A campus of an international college will soon rise in the Nueva Ecija capital of Palayan City to service students in the province and other areas in Central Luzon.

Violeta Jerusalem, president of the Concordia International College (CIC)-Philippines, said the school is working closely with Palayan City Mayor Adrianne Cuevas, who has committed to help the community in delivering e-learning through the CIC-Philippines’ campus that will rise here in 2014.

International partners

Jerusalem said the college will focus on a combination of distance learning and traditional classroom instruction. CIC, she said, operates in Canada, in the United States, Australia and South Korea. CIC-Philippines has branches in Metro Manila, Baguio City and Pampanga.

She said CIC has partners in universities abroad and could bring in international students.

“We will be building facilities, including dormitories, that satisfy international standards in Palayan City,” Jerusalem said.

She said she has started discussing with Cuevas how CIC-Philippines and the Palayan City government can offer community scholarships.

“We will also train qualified [teachers] in the community to become part of our team…. We believe in the capability of Filipino human resource and together with our overseas faculty, we will support the dream of CIC-Philippines and the city government of Palayan in delivering 21st century e-learning,” Jerusalem said.

Vocational courses

Palayan, the seat of the provincial government, is the gateway to Bongabon town, the country’s “onion capital.” Bongabon, Laur and Gabaldon towns and the Dingalan Port in Aurora province are accessible through Palayan.

Concordia Palayan will also offer technical and vocational courses for culinary, languages and the hospitality business.

Graduates of international courses that it will offer will be given accreditation and certificates valid for Canada.

David Kang, chief executive officer of Concordia International University, had met with Mayor Cuevas, too.

Kang is also involved in research and development work on organic products, like oil from oregano and moringa.

Kang said he also plans to put up a research pilot facility in the Palayan campus for these projects. Anselmo Roque, Inquirer Central Luzon