TUA Faculty at the 2024 Philippines Institute Postgraduate Workshop in Australia
In a demonstration of Trinity University of Asia’s commitment to global academic engagement, Mr. Javier Leonardo V. Rugeria, a faculty member from the College of Arts, Sciences, and Education’s (CASE) Media and Communication (MaC) Department, participated as a delegate at the 2024 Philippines Institute Postgraduate Workshop, held at Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra from October 29-31.
The workshop, organized by the ANU Philippines Institute in collaboration with the ANU Filipino Association (ANUFA), is an annual interdisciplinary gathering designed for postgraduate students and early career researchers with a focus on Philippine studies. This year’s event attracted scholars from Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines, which created an invaluable platform for cross-cultural academic dialogue, networking, and collaboration.
Participants engaged in a series of discussions and activities aimed at deepening their research, sharing insights, and building professional networks in the field. The workshop opened with a thought-provoking roundtable discussion, featuring Australia-based scholars engaged in Philippine studies. Mr. Rugeria, along with other scholars, participated in a research workshop facilitated by Emerson Sanchez of ANU’s Crawford School of Public Policy and Nicole Curato of the University of Canberra, where they situated their research within the eight specialized fields of the ANU Philippines Institute.
Mr. Rugeria presented his research “Configuring Curacies in Spanish Colonial Philippines: Principalia Petitions on Spiritual Administration from Tayabas and Laguna, 1793-1829,” that offered unique insights into historical dynamics of Philippine society during Spanish rule.
In addition to the workshop, Mr. Rugeria attended the Philippines Update Conference 2024 on October 30-31, where keynote speaker Maritess Danguilan Vitug presented insights from her recently published book, Unrequited Love: Duterte’s China Embrace. Other notable speakers included experts such as JC Punongbayan, Michael Pante, Judge Soliman Santos, Antonette Raquiza, Jocelyn Martin, and Carmel Abao, who contributed diverse perspectives on current issues in Philippine governance, economics, and culture.
TUA proudly commends Mr. Rugeria’s representation and looks forward to more opportunities for faculty and students to contribute meaningfully to the international academic community.
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