Manila, Philippines - After two years of lockdown, New Era University (NEU) Main Campus in Quezon City received the courtesy visit of the first ever European Ambassador to visit its campus grounds, Her Excellency Jana Šedivá of Czech Republic.

In her speech during the courtesy visit held at the NEU University Hall, Ambassador Šedivá expressed her gratitude to the school administration for the warm welcome. She expressed her desire to have a good and further collaboration between the NEU and the Czech Republic in the near future especially when it comes to education, culture and arts.

“I would like to reiterate my keen interest in knowing New Era University that I wanted to visit even before the pandemic but still I am very very grateful that it happened today. I looked forward for further collaboration with you in the future and hopefully we will be able to conduct maybe some culture-related activity. I am positive that some if not all will come and visit my country, it does not matter if for studies or job or as tourist.”

Šedivá in her speech acknowledged the complexity brought by the pandemic with other social-economic issues including education “there were so many challenges for by both teachers and students and the alternative way of learning both needed to be prepared with the current situation. (And) I am happy to hear that the New Era University coped with the situation very well,” Šedivá said.

Ambassador Šedivá also mentioned that she first heard the good quality of learning and excellent system of education in the university from a daughter of one of the staff of the embassy that is currently enrolled in NEU.

She proudly told the school administration, faculty and students who were present yesterday that the Czech Republic is among the first who advocated for the re-opening of schools and universities after a study revealed that “ the prolonged absence of face-to face classes will impact the country’s competitiveness and productivity, as well as the impact on both students and teachers.”

At present, Šedivá said that the Embassy of the Czech Republic is also an active partner of the European Higher Education Fair along with the European Member States, bringing together personnel of Czech and European universities to speak to the students and professors from the Philippines.

“I really hope that soon we can have something here, I am ready to come and maybe do some lectures on Czech Republic or European Union. So am really looking forward to it. I also hope that one day some of you will come and visit my country.”

As for the school administration, NEU President Dr. Nilo Rosas confirmed the possible collaboration in the future between the university and the Czech Republic such as student exchanges, faculty exchanges and other endeavors that would benefit both parties.

“We do hope that in the foreseeable future, we can work hand in hand to advance education innovation across the continent bringing our people together in terms of new trends, new knowledge, new innovations, and the like,” Dr. Rosas said.

He happily announced that the University catered to the educational needs of the stakeholders by innovating and creating its own Learning Management System, known as New Era University Virtual Learning Environment (NEUVLE) now being used for virtual classes by 18,000 students.

This NEUVLE innovation according to Dr. Rosas created by the former students of NEU now residing in other countries like Canada, Australia, UK and USA with the collaboration of the IT faculty and alumnae can be compared to the Canva of the Unites States of America.

Today, the school administration is now working towards the opening of the limited face-to-face classes.

“ We are at the moment working towards the opening of the face-to-face classes that we can proudly say that education in the university has met the challenges of the education head on,” Dr. Rosas said. (30)