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Ateneo Hosts the 9^th ASEF University

The ballroom of the Holiday Inn Galleria Suites was the site of a tearful farewell on Valentine's day, the 14^th of February, as our John Gokongwei School of Management successfully brought to a close its hosting of the 9th Session of ASEF University (AU9).

ASEF University is a special enrichment programme which brings together undergraduate students drawn from the 25 ASEM member countries for two weeks of immersion in a uniquely multicultural environment, while learning about political, economic, and social developments in Asia and Europe, and efforts to strengthen Asia-Europe relations.   Organized by the Asia-Europe Foundation and selected partner institutions, ASEF University is held twice a year at venues alternating between Asia and Europe.

The only other previous hosts of ASEF University in Asia have been Peking University (Beijing, China), the National University of Singapore (Singapore), and Chulalongkorn University (Bangkok, Thailand).  The Ateneo is proud to join this highly prestigious list of ASEF partner institutions.

With the John Gokongwei School of Management as our lead organizing unit, AU9 had as its theme "Asia and Europe Economic Partnership:  Opportunities and Challenges for Enterprises in a Changing Global Environment".

Thirty-four outstanding students representing 10 Asian and 11 European countries participated in a special two-week academic and cultural programme that was kicked off by a Welcome dinner on 1 February 2004 followed by a day of teambuilding at Tagaytay Highlands.  The academic program featured a world-renowned roster of speakers from both the business community and the academe, including Dr. Cielito Habito of our own Economics Department, but including speakers from all over Europe and Asia.  The cultural program included a tour of Intramuros and Chinatown, and visits to Villa Escudero and Ugo Bigyan Pottery Workshop in Laguna.

Ateneo's hosting of AU9 featured a number of firsts for ASEF University:

• a theme that was focused on business and economics

• a Business Plan competition where the delegates were tasked to identify and flesh out plans to tap a new business opportunity arising from Asia-Europe economic cooperation

• a homestay component where each delegate was assigned an Ateneo student as a "buddy" for the duration of his or her stay, to experience first-hand the warmth of Filipino hospitality.

No endeavor of this magnitude is possible without drawing on an extensive network of partner institutions.   Aside from the Asia-Europe Foundation, Ateneo's partners in this effort included the Delegation of the European Commission in the Philippines, the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the diplomatic delegations of the European Union member countries, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Young Entrepreneurs' Organization, the JG Summit Group of Companies.  Corporate sponsors included ABN Amro Bank, Victory Liner, ING Bank, and Globe Telecommunications.

The benefits of initiatives like this can never be fully measured, and its fruits are realized much further in the future.  But AU9 has planted the seeds of friendship among future leaders of Asia and Europe.  May we all reap a bountiful harvest!

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