Mindanao State University at Naawan Hosts International Student from Germany
Mindanao State University at Naawan recently wrapped up a successful week-long visit from Ms. Maria Angelina Platt of the University of Gießen, Germany, an initiative that significantly boosted the university’s push toward global internationalization. From October 13 to October 17, 2025, Ms. Platt’s presence served as a strategic platform for strengthening academic collaboration, fostering cross-cultural understanding, and exchanging innovative educational practices, fulfilling MSUN’s commitment to enhancing its global visibility. The university specifically aimed to share its best practices in teacher education, which heavily emphasize community engagement and contextualized instruction, while offering Ms. Platt the opportunity to deeply explore Filipino culture through the lens of a local academic environment.
The German academic’s itinerary provided a comprehensive look at MSUN’s core functions, beginning with an immersion into the academic heartbeat of the institution. On October 15, Ms. Platt delivered a key talk on educational innovations before engaging in a hands-on Immersion with an Education class within the College of Education and Social Sciences (CESS), allowing her to directly observe local pedagogical styles. This academic focus was further enriched through research tours and knowledge-sharing sessions with the Research on Environment and Nanotechnology Laboratories (REYLabs) and the Center for Microplastics Research and Innovation, as well as participation in an agroforestry fieldwork in Lasang, Initao, Misamis Oriental. A pivotal moment demonstrating the university’s community-centric philosophy was the visit to Lubillan on October 16, where Ms. Platt witnessed the impact of the SAPNAY Project and met with the Higaonon Council of Elders, illustrating how MSUN integrates its academic mission with local development.
The entire visit, organized by various offices including the Office of Global Engagement and Partnership, DARES Center, CESS, Office of Gender and Development, and the Institute of Peace and Development in Mindanao, was deemed a major success, achieving its goal of providing mutual learning opportunities. MSUN faculty and students benefited from exposure to Germany’s teacher education frameworks, enriching their global outlook, while Ms. Platt gained invaluable, firsthand experience with unique Filipino best practices in education. University officials believe this productive exchange with the University of Gießen will pave the way for future, more extensive institutional partnerships, ultimately contributing to MSUN’s broader mission of cultivating globally competent graduates and educators.
