Ateneo de Manila University signs MOU with Instituto São João de Brito

Ateneo de Manila University signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Instituto São João de Brito (ISJB) of Timor-Leste during the recently concluded Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) meeting of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities in Asia Pacific (AJCU-AP) held at Mirador Jesuit Villa, Baguio City. The signing of the MOU signals the start of academic collaborations between the two institutions. 

Fr Roberto C Yap, SJ, President of Ateneo de Manila University; and Fr Sidelizio Pereira, SJ, Rector of Instituto São João de Brito, signed the MOU with Fr Johnny Go, SJ, Dean of Ateneo de Manila's Gokongwei Brothers School of Education and Learning Design (GBSEALD), as witness.

Established in 2016, Instituto São João de Brito seeks to train students to be teachers for Timor-Leste. During that time, there was an urgent need for teachers in the country who would help achieve peace and sustainable development and ISJB was to address that void. ISJB aims to train new leaders who will be critical thinkers skilled in their chosen fields, Christ-centered and compassionate in their commitment, especially to the underprivileged.

The MOU signing signals the start of professional development collaborations through the programs of the GBSEALD and the English Department of Ateneo de Manila. Thanks to GBSEALD's endowment funds, like the Vicente Tiu Lim Teacher Education Endowment Fund, said partnership also provides Ateneo scholarships and subsidies for qualified ISJB faculty members and students taking graduate degree programs in education.