The government, Mindanao education stakeholders, and Smart Communications recently joined forces in a bid to help accelerate socioeconomic development in the island region.
Responding to a call for support issued by government agencies and Smart, 13 colleges and universities from all over the region proposed innovative projects in line with these priority areas identified by the Mindanao Development Authority: investment promotion and facilitation, the Mindanao Development Corridor, and climate change adaptation and the environment.
The faculty and students presented their proposals at the Technovation Forum held recently in Davao City. The suggested projects include an online portal that can be used to promote Mindanao’s tourist spots and products to travelers and investors, an online database of infrastructure projects in the region, and a flood monitoring app.
The participating schools will finalize their proposals by July, after which MinDA would determine which projects they want to partner on. For its part, Smart will give cash grants to jump-start the development of five projects.
The Technovation Forum, which had the theme “Accelerating Development through Innovations and Collaborative Partnerships,” saw some schools partnering with each other for specific projects.
The participating institutions included Ateneo de Davao University, Cor Jesu College, Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology, Holy Cross of Davao College, Jose Maria College, Notre Dame of Marbel University, Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology, University of Immaculate Conception, University of Mindanao-Main and Digos campuses, University of Southeastern Philippines, University of the Philippines Mindanao, and Xavier University.
The initiative was supported by the Commission on Higher Education, Department of Science and Technology, and the USAID’s STRIDE (Science, Technology, Research, and Innovation for Development) Program.
MinDA Chief of Staff Abul Khayr Amalon Alonto II said it was important to work with the younger generation toward “a progressive, interconnected, and information and communications technology-empowered Mindanao.”
“With the educators and our young students, the internet- and technology-savvy youth, we are confident that we can more efficiently lead the island region toward our envisioned socioeconomic development. We must work together in promoting innovation as a cornerstone for Mindanao’s development,” he said.
Smart Community Partnerships head Darwin Flores said the forum “brought together the Mindanao Development Authority’s deep understanding of problems and opportunities in the region, with the technological know-how and resources of the academe and telco industry.”
“We are excited to help, and excited to see how much we could achieve together,” he added.
Eric John Emberda, dean of the information technology education program at the University of Immaculate Conception, said the forum paved the way for a “win-win situation.”
“The organizers have needs that schools can readily provide. Schools also have needs that government agencies and industries can provide,” he said.
Emberda shared that the academe’s needs included funding, as well as the opportunity to go beyond theory and develop projects that were needed in the real world.
For several years, Smart has encouraged colleges and universities to come up with innovations not just to complete academic requirements, but to help solve actual problems in their community.
Under the 14-year-old Smart Wireless Engineering Education Program or SWEEP, the company has also partnered with schools to improve engineering and IT education in the country.
Because of SWEEP, Smart was included in Fortune magazine’s 2016 list of 50 companies that have “changed the world.”
More information on SWEEP can be found on smartsweep.ph and the Smart SWEEP Facebook page.