Professors Rey Donne S. Papa, PhD and Maria Claudette Agnes, PhD, Dean and Assistant Dean of the College of Science, respectively, visited the Universidade da Coruña (UDC) from September 14 to 19, 2025, to strengthen international cooperation in environmental sustainability, environmental psychology and interdisciplinary research.
The UST delegation visited several UDC research and academic units, including the Facultad de Ciencias, the Centro Interdisciplinar de Química e Bioloxía (CICA), the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, the Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, and the Vicerrectoria de Titulacions e Internacionalizacion. These visits provided opportunities to meet with faculty and research groups to explore avenues for collaboration, particularly in the fields of environmental science, education, and sustainability. This visit explored opportunities for academic visits for faculty and students from either university or plan research proposals for submission to international funding agencies.
Dean Papa was also invited to give a public lecture at UDC’s Centro Interdisciplinar de Química e Bioloxía (CICA) on 18 September, where he shared his pioneering research on limnology and freshwater biodiversity in the Philippines. His presentation sparked discussions on how lessons learned from tropical freshwater systems could inform strategies for conserving similar ecosystems in Galicia and across Europe.
“Freshwater ecosystems are among the most threatened in the world, and it is only through collaborative research that we can develop effective strategies for their conservation,” Dean Papa stressed, underscoring the global urgency of freshwater biodiversity protection.
The collaboration between UST and UDC has been facilitated through UDC’s People-Environment Research Group, coordinated by Prof. Cristina García Fontán, which has spearheaded initiatives such as joint workshops and international conferences on environmental issues. These activities have fostered dialogue among experts across disciplines, reaffirming the need for shared solutions to global environmental problems.
“We are honored to welcome our colleagues from UST, whose work in environmental sustainability resonates deeply with our priorities at UDC,” Prof. García Mira said.
The academic exchange builds on a partnership between UST and UDC that began in 2021 and continues to flourish through active academic visits. Through this partnership, their host Prof. Ricardo Garcia Mira, helped invigorate environmental psychology research among academic staff and students of the UST Department of Psychology, which led to the successful hosting of the first-ever Environmental Psychology International Conference in the country hosted by UST on March 23, 2024.
The visit to UDC highlights its dedication to advancing scientific excellence through global engagement. By cultivating strong partnerships with institutions abroad, the College of Science reaffirms its role as a leading center for science education, extension and research in the Philippines, contributing actively to the international academic community and the collective pursuit for greater sustainability.