TOKYO, Japan—The Southeast Asian University Consortium for Graduate Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC) will convene its 38th Executive Board Meeting on 18–20 November 2025, hosted by Tokyo University of Agriculture (Tokyo NODAI) in Japan. The annual meeting will bring together 30 UC executive board members and 11 other university officers and staff, representing 15 participating institutions.
Attending the meeting are representatives from regular UC member universities, namely Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), IPB University (IPB), and Universitas Brawijaya (UB) all in Indonesia; Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Malaysia; Kasetsart University (KU) and Maejo University (MJU) in Thailand; and Central Luzon State University (CLSU), Visayas State University (VSU), and University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), all in the Philippines.
Representatives from UC associate members Tokyo NODAI and National Taiwan University (NTU) will also join the event, alongside those from affiliate members Central Mindanao University (CMU) in the Philippines and Dalhousie University and University of Alberta in Canada. The Canadian universities are new affiliate members.
The Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), which established the UC and serves as its Secretariat, will be represented by Dr. Mercedita Sombilla, Center Director and UC Chief Executive Officer; Dr. Nur Azura binti Adam, Deputy Director for Programs and UC Executive Officer; and Dr. Maria Cristeta Cuaresma, Senior Program Head of SEARCA's Education and Collective Learning Department (ECLD) and UC Coordinator.
The UC's programs and partnerships are aligned with SEARCA's 12th Five-Year Development Plan focused on Sustainable Transformation of Agricultural Systems through Innovation in Southeast Asia (SUSTAIN Southeast Asia). By strengthening collaborative research, graduate education, and mobility initiatives, the UC helps drive outcomes such as increased farmers' incomes, improved food and nutrition security, enhanced climate resilience, and empowered stakeholders across the region. The UC serves as a vital platform for knowledge exchange and innovation that bridges academic expertise and agricultural development.
During the meeting, UC members will present institutional reports and share updates on ongoing initiatives, including progress of the ERASMUS+ Postgraduate Micro-Credentials for Food Security and Climate Change (PMC FSCC) project. The meeting agenda also includes the membership application presentation of Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) and deliberations on the budget allocations for UC activities in 2026 and flagship events such as the UC Summer Schools, Graduate Forums, Faculty Forums, and future Executive Board Meetings for 2026–2028.
For membership inquiries and partnership opportunities, contact the UC Secretariat at