The University of the Philippines (UP) successfully hosted the Hanyang University–New York University (HYU–NYU) Immersion Program on Monday, 05 January 2026, as part of the NYU–HYU 2026 Winter Course: SDGs to Social Innovation. The visit was organized in collaboration with the UP Korea Research Center (UP KRC) and the UP Office of International Linkages (OIL) and proceeded smoothly as planned.
Led by Dr. Aaron Kim, Professor of Social Innovation at Hanyang University, the delegation was composed of thirteen (13) New York University undergraduate students and two NYU program coordinators. The immersion program aims to deepen students’ understanding of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through systems thinking, cross-sector collaboration, and hands-on fieldwork, with the Philippines serving as a key learning context.
The program at UP opened with welcome remarks from Ms. Dolores Cecilia Madrid, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Internationalization) and Director of OIL, followed by opening remarks from Dr. Kim. A central highlight was the lecture on Philippine history and society delivered by Dr. Gerard Concepcion and Dr. Ronel Laranjo of the Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas (DFPP), which provided students with critical sociohistorical and sociopolitical perspectives relevant to their fieldwork. The lecture was followed by an interactive open forum and exchange of tokens.
In the afternoon, the delegation participated in a guided UP Diliman campus tour and paid a courtesy call to university officials, further strengthening institutional ties and academic exchange. University officials present included UP President Angelo A. Jimenez and Vice President for Research and Innovation Joel Marciano, among others.
The visit builds on Dr. Kim’s earlier engagement with UP in 2025 and reflects the continuing partnership between UP, Hanyang University, and NYU in advancing international collaboration, social innovation, and sustainable development education.
Photo Credits to Mr. Abraham Arboleda, OVPPA-UPS-MCO