AMIC Board Welcomes Country Reps

To actively engage country representatives in ongoing and future programs and projects, AMIC held two separate meetings with country representatives on 10 and 17 June 2023.

On 10 June 2023, AMIC Board of Directors Chairperson Crispin C. Maslog welcomed country representatives and encouraged them to be involved in activities such as the AMIC Awards, webinars, book publishing, etc. He invited the country representatives to attend this year’s  29^th AMIC Annual Conference in Bandung, Indonesia, which is co-hosted by  Universitas Padjadjaran (UNPAD) and Far Eastern University (FEU).

Guests during the 10 June meeting were Dadang Rahmat Hidayat, Dean of UNPAD’s School of Communication) and Ari Agung Prastowo, Public Relations Studies-Faculty of Communications, who is member of the conference planning committee.

During the two meetings, AMIC Secretary General Ramon R. Tuazon presented AMIC accomplishments in 2022 and the programs/projects for  2024. Among them are a book on Communication Research Methods and Tools: The Asian Perspective, the AMIC Asia Communication Award for Young Leaders, the AMIC Communication Excellence Awards (ACE) which recognizes communication campaigns and tools that significantly contribute to the attainment of social good in the Asia Pacific region, and the AMIC Centers of Excellence which recognizes outstanding initiatives in  Agriculture Communication, Science Communication, Health Communication, Community Media, and Gender and Communication.

AMIC Acting Deputy Secretary General Ma. Sophia Varlez gave an update on the preparations for the 29^th AMIC Annual Conference with the theme, TALK ASAP: Africa-Asia Pacific Dialogue on Communication Issues. This is scheduled on 28-30 September 2023. Ms. Varlez encouraged the country representatives to campaign for more abstract submissions and for participation in the conference. She reported that there are seven plenary and 17 parallel sessions. A number of keynote and plenary speakers have already confirmed including Dr. Maslog, Dr. Yoshitaka Miike, Dr. Molefi Kete Asante, Dr. John Lent, Dr. Hermin Indah Wahyuni, Prof. Dr. Atwar Badjari, Dr. Ronny Adhikarya, Dr. Mor Seck, Prof. Alf Nilsen, Prof. Dr. Eni Maryani, Laxman Datt Pant, and Prof. Danilo A. Arao.

During the meetings, SG Tuazon announced that the AMIC Secretariat will invite country representatives and members from underrepresented Asian countries from Central Asia, Northern Asia, and Western Asia. A quarterly meeting is also envisioned to serve as a platform for sharing of country or institutional programs by the country representatives.

AMIC mission, goals, direction revisited at BoM meeting

The Board of Management of AMIC recently held its Strategic Planning session to revisit goals and priorities, and chart major directions for the international non-government organization focusing on communication and media development.

The planning session was led by BoM Chairperson Jose Maria G. Carlos, with BoM members Olivia Celeste M. Villafuerte, Maria Margarita Alvina Acosta, PhD, and Marco Polo, and Secretary-General Ramon R. Tuazon attending.

The BoM first reviewed AMIC’s vision statement and expressed the need to make it more Asia-centric, forward-looking, and facilitative especially in terms of learning resource exchange within and outside the Asia Pacific Region.

In addition, the BoM also proposed to better align AMIC’s mission statement to encourage greater dialogue among academe, industry, government, and civil society while developing communication theories and models reflecting Asia Pacific cultures and perspectives.

The BoM also tackled ways and means to ensure the sustainability of AMIC, make the organizational structure more responsive particularly to its primary clientele, and explore partnerships in planning and managing future programs and projects including AMIC Communication Excellence Award, AMIC Youth Leadership Award, AMIC Centers of Excellence, and Accreditation of Communication Schools Using Asian Parameters. (END)

AMIC welcomes FEU as co-host of 29th AMIC Conference

Far Eastern University (FEU), founded in 1928 initially with the Institute of Accounts, Business, and Finance, is one of the leading private universities in the Philippines offering accessible, quality, and future-ready education.  It has established seven institutes covering diverse disciplines in health and social sciences, education, architecture, fine arts, tourism and hotel management, and law.

It placed 74th in the major category of the 2022 World’s Universities with Real Impact (WURI) Rankings, an international university rankings system that evaluates university programs for their social impact.

Fourteen programs of FEU were recognized by the ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) for their strengths, abilities to cope with digital trends in education, and adaptability to the new normal.

FEU has produced globally competitive graduates who possess industry-responsive skills and exhibit the core values of Fortitude, Excellence, and Uprightness.

The FEU Group of Schools includes FEU Alabang, FEU Cavite, FEU Diliman, FEU High School, FEU Manila, FEU Makati, FEU Roosevelt, and FEU Tech.

Photo source: https://www.feu.edu.ph

UNPAD is co-host of 29th AMIC Annual Conference

Universitas Padjadjaran, also known as UNPAD, is a well-respected public university in West Java, Indonesia. It was founded in 1957 in Bandung, a lively city in West Java. The university is named after the Kingdom of Padjajaran, which existed from 1473 to 1513 and was led by Prabu Siliwangi.

UNPAD is highly regarded and has received the highest accreditation as an “Accredited Institution with A Rating” from the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education. It is a popular choice for students applying to public universities in Indonesia. Over the years, UNPAD has grown from having four faculties to its present 16 faculties and postgraduate schools, offering a wide variety of academic programs.

UNPAD has two main campuses: Jatinangor Campus in Sumedang Regency and Iwa Koesoemasoemantri Campus in Dipati Ukur, Bandung. It has also established two additional campuses, known as Program Studi di luar Kampus Utama (PSDKU), in Pangandaran and Garut to offer specific study programs. In April 2023, in an effort to enhance networking and institutional collaboration, it opened a representative office in Jakarta.

The university has a clear vision and mission. It aims to become a globally recognized university that has a positive impact on society, following the Fundamental Scientific Pattern of “Nurturing Noble Law and the Environment in National Development.”  UNPAD believes in being a university that positively impacts society. It emphasizes quality education, equal access to education, support for the legal system and environmental preservation, contributing to economic growth, ensuring social security, and preserving cultural heritage.

By living up to these ideals, UNPAD aims to maintain its reputation as a respected institution internationally while ensuring the quality of teaching, research, and community engagement. With its rich history, diverse academic offerings, and commitment to societal well-being, UNPAD continues to play a significant role in the education landscape of Indonesia.

Dr. Alviola named AMIC Country Rep

Dr. Ulderico B. Alviola, founding head of the University Integrated Media Centre (UIMC) at the Visayas State University (Philippines),  is the newly designated Country Representative for the Visayas of the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC). 

As the designated Philippine Representative for the Visayas Cluster, Dr. Alviola is joining two other Country Representatives— Dr. Rowena Capulong Reyes for Luzon and Dr. Christine Faith M. Avila for Mindanao.

Dr. Reyes is the Dean of the Institute of Arts and Sciences (IAS) of the Far Eastern University (FEU) while Dr. Avila is an Associate Professor of the communication program of Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU). 

Dr. Alviola is faculty member at Department of Development Communication at Visayas State University (VSU), President of the Association of Development Communication Educators and Practitioners (ADCEP) Philippines, and Vice President for the Visayas of the Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE). 

He has also served  in various capacities as communication specialist and consultant in many national and international agencies and organizations, such as the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC), United Nations International Labour Organization (UN-ILO), Islamic Relief Worldwide (IRW); ChildFund Philippines, Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD), National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT), Yolanda Rehabilitation and Recovery Program (YRRP) of the Department of Agriculture (DA), and Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). 

Dr. Alviola was  a former Rappler Ambassador, a community journalist, and a regional correspondent in Eastern Visayas for MovePH. 

Of his appointment, Dr. Alviola said: 

“I’m personally grateful to Prof. Ramon R. Tuazon for this designation as the new Country Representative of the Philippines to AMIC. I hope that this assignment will lead me to expand further my network and help me connect our colleagues from the Visayas region to this prestigious international organization…” 

Dr. Alviola completed his undergraduate degree in Development Communication at the former Leyte State University (now VSU), Cum Laude, and his Straight Doctor of Philosophy (PhDS) in Development Communication at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) under a joint scholarship grant from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA).