Central Mindanao University Academic Paradise of the South
As part of its continuing efforts to expand global engagement and strengthen international academic collaboration, Central Mindanao University (CMU) conducted an official visit to Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan, on April 20-25. The visit was led by Engr. Kimverly Joy A. Mahinay, faculty member and International Relations College Coordinator of the College of Engineering, aimed to support student mobility and reinforce institutional collaboration.
A key purpose of the visit was to facilitate the travel of Mr. Wilmer J. Oriendo Jr., a fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering student, who was accepted into the Short-Term Training Program under the International Educational Trip at Hokkaido University. He will undergo training at the Laboratory of Nanomaterial Science under the mentorship of Prof. Kuniharu Takei.
Engr. Mahinay ensured the student’s safe arrival and proper endorsement to the host institution, underscoring CMU’s commitment to student welfare and responsible international engagement.
“I am very grateful for this opportunity, as it marks an exciting milestone for me,” Engr. Mahinay said. “As the International Relations College Coordinator of the College of Engineering, it deepened my understanding of Hokkaido University’s internship opportunities and requirements, allowing me to better guide future student applicants and explore opportunities for future collaboration.”
She added that the engagement also marks a milestone for the Department of Electrical Engineering. “It signifies our department’s first student international mobility experience, bringing valuable exposure and opening more opportunities for our students and for Central Mindanao University,” she said. “I am truly grateful that we have partners like Hokkaido University who open meaningful international opportunities like this for our engineering students.”
During the visit, Mahinay met with officials from the International Affairs Office of the Faculty of Engineering, including Director Suzuki Haruka and Takeru Yamagata, where they discussed international programs and administrative processes, reaffirming the partnership between the two institutions.
She also met with Prof. Takei, who supervises the CMU student-trainee, further strengthening faculty-level linkages and opening opportunities for future research collaboration.
The student-trainee’s training, scheduled from April 23 to June 25, 2026, forms part of his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering on-the-job training requirement. His work focuses on developing Internet of Things (IoT)-based energy monitoring systems, aligned with the host laboratory’s research on nanomaterials, advanced electronic devices, and IoT-enabled systems.
Hokkaido University, a long-standing partner of CMU under a Memorandum of Agreement, particularly in engineering, remains a key collaborator in the university’s internationalization initiatives. [Iyren Neri with information from Engr. Kimverly Joy A. Mahinay, Faculty, College of Engineering]
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