The visit provided the executive team with critical exposure to Australia’s senior secondary and vocational education systems, opening conversations on pedagogy, policy, and institutional leadership in preparation for WUP’s forthcoming Year 11 and Year 12 Work and Study Immersion Program. Delegation was composed of the Vice President for Administration and Planning, Gladys P. Mangiduyos, Vice President for Finance, Maritess A. Castaneda, University Registrar, Lyndon John S. De Leon, and the Junior and Senior High School Principal, Tita B. Camat.
“This program was thoughtfully designed to give us real-time insight into the structure, delivery, and culture of education in Australia,” said WUP President Irineo G. Alvaro, Jr. “It strengthens our resolve to align more deeply with global education standards and provide transformative learning opportunities for our students.”
Speaking Truth in a World of Noise
Before the team embarked on a four full-day immersion was a worship with the Parramatta Wesleyan Methodist Church, Mangiduyos spoke and addressed a faith community on the urgent need for critical thinking in today’s information age, the message—delivered despite a delayed arrival—resonated with clarity and conviction, weaving together scripture and reason, and inviting listeners to reflect, discern, and think deeply amidst cultural and digital noise.
“In a time where misinformation and disinformation spread faster than truth, critical thinking becomes more than a skill—it becomes a form of stewardship,” the speaker shared, calling the faith community to become seekers of wisdom, not just consumers of content, and be accountable to the power vested in each one.
From Dialogue to Partnership
Throughout the immersion, the WUP delegation held strategic discussions with several premier institutions, including the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Southern Cross University, Salford College, and the Institute of Health and Nursing Australia (IHNA). These engagements offered promising prospects for academic collaboration, research exchange, and student mobility programs.
The team also enjoyed a cultural lunch prepared by students—featuring Filipino classics such as pork sinigang and chicken inasal—and engaged in over 10,000 steps of walking tours through The Rocks, Harbour Bridge, and the iconic Sydney Opera House, where the group had the rare opportunity to touch the sails and reflect on the intersection of art, culture, and meaning. Encounters with Aboriginal traditions in museum offered further insight into Australia’s sacred heritage.
Diplomatic Engagement and Strategic Planning
The immersion program culminated in a diplomatic meeting with Hon. Charmaine Rowena C. Aviquivil, Consul General of the Philippine Embassy in Sydney, where WUP officials expressed optimism about cross-border partnerships that could uplift Philippine higher education on the global stage.
A final workshop with the Prime Learning Centre provided clarity for next steps and actionable directions for WUP’s strategic roadmap on internationalization, innovation, and leadership formation.
Shared Vision, Shared Future
The WUP delegation returned to the Philippines carrying not only institutional learnings but also deeply personal affirmations about the role of education, dialogue, and thoughtful leadership in shaping the future.
“This journey reaffirmed that partnership is more than paperwork—it’s shared vision and shared purpose,” De Leon noted. “And when education and critical thinking walk hand in hand, transformation becomes not just possible, but inevitable.”
Special thanks were extended to Fiel Santos, Linda Santos, Archimedes Salinas and Joe Tungcab for their expert guidance and generous hospitality throughout the program.
As Wesleyan University-Philippines moves forward, it does so with a renewed commitment to academic excellence, cultural humility, and the power of critical and courageous thought.
Article by Gladys P. Mangiduyos
Photos by Gladys P. Mangiduyos, Archimedez Salinas and Joe Tungcab
