Speech of Dr. Rosula Reyes during her installation as Vice President for Academic Affairs
Date Posted: January 8, 2024 at 02:42 PM
This speech was delivered during the installation of Dr. Rosula Reyes as Adamson University Vice President for Academic Affairs held last January 3, 2024 at the Co Po Ty Hall of the Dr. Carlos Tiu Building.
Thank you, Engr. Evelyn Raguındin for the kind introduction.
The year 2024 has just started. It's a new year and it’s a new beginning!
I extend my greetings of peace, solidarity, and hope to you and your families for 2024!
To our esteemed University President, Rev. Fr. Daniel Franklin 'Danny' Pilario, my colleagues in the profession, respected deans, directors, faculty members and staff, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon. Thank you for your warm welcome. With a great welcoming like this, I am so excited;
Excited, first, to partner and collaborate with you in ensuring the highest standards of excellence and professionalism. And with the inspiration and guidance of our University President, Rev. Fr. Danny Pilario, who is an advocate of justice and fighter of extrajudicial killings, demands that we are just and humane in our school system and environment. Fr. Danny Pilario underscored three important things for his term;" "give thanks, care deeply, and dare bravely." I resonate with him. Our world is full of uncertainties and doubts and it needs people who have hearts like Jesus. 'Let our heart be like Christ's, so generous and so great that the whole world may find room in it!" These are the words of Mother Louise de Meester. There is nothing in this world that should stop us from deeply caring for one another. I am one in caring for each and every student enrolled with us.
Let our students be beacons of light for peace and justice, I believe that we are all great administrators and leaders present here. Great people don't put others down, but they always inspire them to be the best vision of themselves. Let us be among this great people, Jesus is the best model of this: He never pointed out the weaknesses of people, never dwelt on their failures and their shortcomings.
Excited, second, to journey with you as your new Adamson U Klasmeyt and to be a part of this Vincentian Family and Community.
I must confess that I have not outgrown the feeling of excitement coupled with anticipation of the new environment and experiences. I remember during my elementary years, I moved from one good school to a better school and then finally to the best school. At least that was what I thought and believed in when I was young. I had experienced a very colourful elementary years which had a great impact or who and what I am today. Now, as an academician, I have been planted, bloomed, and bore the best fruits in fertile grounds of top universities and I look forward to experiencing the KLASMEYT culture of Adamson University. A culture that is inspired by our Patron Saint, St. Vincent de Paul. A culture that is accepting, embracing, and nurturing. And in the process be planted, bloom and bear fruits once more in another top university.
And third, as I share with Fr. Danny's goal to give importance to a deeper connection within Adamson University, and for the community to look forward to the future of the students with courage, I humbly offer the following as my point of emphasis to support that of our University President’s 3 points;
BOLDNESS in our attempts on Innovation and Internationalization
Vincent Van Gogh said: "What would life be if we had no courage to attempt anything?"
As an academician all in my career life, I believe that the goal of education is to help our students learn how to think and analyze critically, and to be able to solve problems. Innovation means a new way of thinking, thereby helping students develop their problem-solving and creativity skills, and also encourage students and teachers to research, explore, and use the tools to uncover something new. We are living in a digitally progressive world, [wherein] digital technologies have transformed our way of life, our thinking, our cultures, and schools must reflect on this. Digital transformation is has entered the educational system.
If we are blocking technology in our schools that are being used in business worldwide, then we aren't adequately preparing our students to enter the 21st century workforce. Our students need to be trained how to interact with the world around them via the technology available at their disposal and how to do so safely. Who will teach them this skills if teachers don’t?
No other than Pope Francis, in his 2024 World Day of Peace message, has chosen to reflect on the theme "Artificial Intelligence and Peace." He explores the ethical dimension of saying they are new AI technologies revolutionizing all spheres of human life. “New digital took are even now changing the face of communications, public administration, education, consumption. Personal interactions and countless other aspects of our daily lives," he notes, The Pope also urges world leaders to put in place policies that ensure as development will "ultimately serve the cause of human fraternity and peace."
There is no doubt that AI will transform the landscape of education. We have seen this transformation before in the emergence of the internet that completely transformed how schools and global economy function. Is it safe to assume that a new technology leap might be the same? But the hardcore of the leap is going to fall to educators.
On INTERNATIONALIZATION, Internationalization goes beyond student mobility, or preparing students for global citizenship, on having internationally oriented students and staff, or increased international enrolment, or revenue generation or brain game. I think internationalization is the key to improving academic quality. With internalization, exposure to different practices -- good practices -- can be adapted and shared to these needing improvement.
I am here present today to commit myself to journeying with you, my Adamson Community, towards a more inclusive, responsive, and relevant education. Let us move forward together while we can. Let us have that strong confidence that we can -- a confidence that does not come from the assurance that we always have the answers on hand but rather from being brave and daring enough to take bold steps, and build confidence by believing in ourselves and our abilities.
We are called on to remain steadfast, our hearts and faith firmly planted and our gaze fixed on the world around us and the events of history. We can walk that less travelled road, with God's help and grace and leave our trails behind for the next generation of Adamsonian Klasmeyts to follow.
And with confidence, make a difference in this war-torn world. Thank you.
