Japanese professor brings global sustainability lens to CatSU forum
InternationalizationWhose sustainability are we really protecting? That question anchored the eye-opening forum delivered by Professor Fumikazu Ubukata of Okayama University, Japan, during his visit to Catanduanes State University (CatSU) on April 24. His lecture, titled “Whose Sustainability Matters? Oil Palm and Indigenous People in Sarawak, Malaysia,” peeled back the layers of environmental discourse and spotlighted those often left out of the conversation—indigenous communities. Joining him was Ms. Nicca Aira Marquez, a proud CatSU alumna, current faculty of the College of Agriculture and Fisheries (CAF), and now a PhD candidate at Okayama University. Together, they brought an insider’s view on how large-scale agriculture and sustainability policies intersect with the lived realities of indigenous peoples in Southeast Asia. Held at the Accreditation Room, the forum drew in students, faculty, and key university officials. Among them were Vice Presidents Dr. Rosana S. Abundo and Engr. Benjamin Hannycel T. Nuyda, while CatSU OIC President Dr. Roberto B. Barba Jr. tuned in via Zoom, currently attending the SCUAA Nationals in Camiguin. The forum is part of CatSU’s push for home-based internationalization, spearheaded by the Center for International Relations and CPD Services under Director Zyra Mae T. Tumala, in partnership with the CAF led by Dean Dr. Michael Owen P. Malijan. “This is how we bring the world to CatSU,” Tumala shared. “Through dialogues like this, our students and faculty gain exposure to real-world issues shaped by global forces—and they learn how to think critically and compassionately across borders.” Also present were ATIC Director Aljon Francis Koji P. Elegado and Open University Director Medie M. Lopez.
