Timor-Leste and the Philippines Strengthen Cooperation in Higher Education
The Government of Timor-Leste and the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines (CHED) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on October 1st, 2026, in Cebu City, Philippines, to strengthen cooperation in higher education, with a focus on academic mobility, scholarships, research, quality assurance, curriculum development, credit transfer, and collaboration between higher education and research institutions.
The Vice-Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Culture, Mariano Assanami Sabino, and CHED Chair Shirley Agrupis signed the Memorandum during the Higher Education Partnerships Conference (HEPCON) 2026, held on October 1st and 2nd in Cebu.
HEPCON 2026 brought together government officials, university leaders, experts, and representatives from higher education institutions to foster dialogue, knowledge sharing, and international partnerships. During the conference, participants discussed topics including student and faculty mobility, research, quality assurance, curriculum development, innovation, and the internationalisation of higher education.
Mariano Assanami Sabino also participated as a conference speaker, in his capacity as Vice-Prime Minister and Acting Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Culture, at a programme featuring higher education leaders and experts from various countries.
The agreement establishes a broad framework for cooperation between Timor-Leste and the Philippines and is expected to promote new training opportunities for students, faculty, and researchers, as well as partnerships among higher education institutions in both countries.
In his remarks, Mariano Assanami Sabino highlighted the Government's priority on human resource development within the national development process and thanked the Philippines for its support for Timor-Leste. The Vice-Prime Minister also said he expected the new Memorandum to translate into concrete cooperation initiatives and more opportunities for Timorese students to study in the Philippines.
The new Memorandum builds on nearly two decades of cooperation between Timor-Leste and the Philippines in higher education. According to data released by CHED, approximately 200 Timorese students have received support to study in the Philippines, and 126 are currently enrolled in higher education institutions in the Philippines.
Under the new cooperation framework, Timor-Leste will be able to identify priority areas for scholarship recipients, with CHED facilitating coordination with the relevant Philippine institutions in the selected fields, in accordance with their respective admission requirements.
Among the identified opportunities for cooperation are a partnership between the University of the Philippines and the National University of Timor Lorosa'e (UNTL), opportunities for advanced training and medical education for Timorese students and professionals, and potential collaboration with Mariano Marcos State University in the areas of scholarships, academic mobility, research, and capacity building.
Ambassador of Timor-Leste to the Philippines, Marciano Octávio Garcia da Silva; the Rector of UNTL, Joviano António da Costa; and the Vice-Rector for Cooperation Affairs, Cristóvão dos Reis, were also present at the signing ceremony.
The Memorandum sets out the framework for developing specific initiatives between institutions in both countries in the areas identified as priorities.
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