The University of Santo Tomas (UST), through the Office of Public Affairs and the Office for International Relations and Programs in collaboration with the College of Science, held the 3rd “UST World Lenses: A Cross-Cultural Dialogue with Students”, with His Excellency Michel Parys, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium to the Republic of the Philippines. The lecture was held at the Dr. George SK Ty Hall on April 28, 2025, which coincides with the 414th anniversary of the foundation of UST.
Ambassador Parys, in his lecture, shared insights on Belgium’s circular economy framework, with a special focus on its intersection with public health initiatives, fostering awareness and critical thinking on sustainable and health-conscious economic practices.
The circular economy is a model of production and consumption that is sustainable and waste reducing since it extends the lifecycle of products in such a way that materials are shared, leased, reused, repaired, refurbished, or upcycled rather than immediately disposed after one use.
Students from the UST College of Science, which is set to celebrate its 100th foundation anniversary next year, served as the main participants of the event with the Ambassador.
UST World Lenses is an academic gathering that highlights the power of education in fostering international understanding and cooperation through connecting students with experts from various countries. This ongoing initiative is a partnership among the UST Office of International Relations and Programs, UST Office of Public Affairs, and for this year, the UST College of Science.
Previous sessions of the UST World Lenses featured Trade Section Head Ms. Ana Clara Pianezza and the Third Secretary and Consul Mr. Fabricio Sordoni from the Embassy of Argentina in Manila, who discussed the history, economics, and tourism of their country, and renowned paint conservator of the Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika (UMK) in Poland, Dr. hab. Mirosław Wachowiak, who emphasized the crucial role of interdisciplinary collaboration in the realm of art restoration.