By PJ dela Peña, USTP System STRATCOMM
The summit highlights the presentation of the AGILA S&T Park of USTP
The University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) hosted the first Science and Industry Summit 2021 with the theme Trailblazing Innovation Ecosystems in Northern Mindanao on November 26, 2021, via Zoom online platform. The summit is part of the University’s Science and Technology Week celebration.
The summit highlighted the launching of the Master Plan for AGILA Science and Technology Park. AGILA stands for Alubijid, Gitagum, and Libertad, the municipalities that host the 292-hectares S&T Park.
Included in the Master Plan are the proposed land use plan; land use policies; proposed site development layout and renderings; programs, projects, and activities; financial plan; and institutional arrangement.
The Innovation Triangle of USTP comprises the AGILA Science and Technology Park in Alubijid, the Agropolis Science and Technology Park in Claveria which focuses on Agri-ecotourism, and the USTP Villanueva Proposed Science and Technology Park that will champion industry partnership. The three (3) S&T Parks are located in the province of Misamis Oriental in Northern Mindanao.
USTP System President Dr. Ambrosio B. Cultura II highlights the innovation ecosystem
The role of the S&T parks is crucial in the establishment of the innovation ecosystem which the University promotes. The S&T parks are established following the Quadruple Helix Model in the major components of Academe, Government, Industry and Community. Aside from industry locators, the S&T Park will also host government agencies and centers for research and development.
Plaque of recognition was awarded to Dr. Malcolm Parry as the keynote speaker of the event
Dr. Malcolm Parry, the founder and CEO of Surrey Research Park in Surrey, England, was the keynote speaker of the summit. Dr. Parry spoke about the role of the academe in advancing innovation ecosystems. Dr. Parry mentioned that Science and Technology Parks are part of a productive university.
Ms. Watcharin ‘Lhing’ Witthayaweerasak, the Senior Manager of Thai Business Incubators and Science Parks Association (Thai-BISPA), shared a comparative experience of Science Parks in Thailand focusing on soft infrastructures which include the interaction between the key players in the community.
Dr. Richard Abendan, Chief of Party of the USAID Science, Technology, Research and Innovation for Development (STRIDE) Program, also gave out his insights for the university to get the big companies to have active roles in the science parks.
In the afternoon session of the summit, Consul General Yoshiaki Miwa, the Consul of Japan in Davao, led the launching of the Seeds Needs Matching Seminar Series.
The project aims to promote the research outputs of the university to the needs of the industry.
Dr. Amal Makhloufi sharing her insights on innovation in healthcare during the summit
Dr. Amal Makhloufi, Vice President of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) and General Manager of Sanofi Philippines, spoke about innovation in the context of healthcare.
USTP is a product of collaboration after the amalgamation of the former Mindanao University of Science and Technology (MUST) in Cagayan de Oro and the former Misamis Oriental State College of Agriculture and Technology (MOSCAT) in Claveria. USTP is located in Northern Mindanao and has eight (8) campuses providing quality education.
USTP recently became an associate member of the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines which is also a partner of the Science and Industry Summit.
