SMU Strengthens Collaboration with CHINTA through Strategic Meeting
Saint Mary’s University (SMU) recently hosted a partnership meeting with CHINTA, its international partner from Belgium, to strengthen their collaboration on Project Maalaga. The meeting, held on Sept. 29, 2025, aimed to discuss key administrative, financial, and policy matters essential to the project’s progress.
 The event commenced with a welcome message from Dr. Moises Alexander T. Asuncion, Vice President for Academic Affairs, followed by a brief introduction to the university and its previous engagements with CHINTA by IO Head Dr. Clara Gonzales. University President Dr. John Octavious S. Palina emphasized the institution’s strategic goals for globalizing its academic offerings through international partnerships.
The CHINTA delegation consisted of five board members: Mr. Jean-Baptist Vandeneede, Ms. Heleen Debaeke, Mr. Frank Debaere, Ms. Delphine Comijin, and Ms. Debie Mouton. Project Maalaga aims to provide employment opportunities for Marian nursing graduates, with 20 nurses shortlisted in July 2025 to undergo Dutch language training in preparation for their employment in Belgium starting January 2026. The meeting addressed several critical points, including the status of Project Maalaga and the possibility of another batch of nurses, reciprocity and mutual benefits in the partnership, the political climate regarding labor in the Philippines, migration concerns, and ensuring fairness between partners.
 Following the meeting, the CHINTA board members delivered lectures on current trends in global nursing employment to 180 fourth-year nursing students at the Aula Maria Hall, providing students with valuable insights into the global nursing landscape. The international partnership between SMU and CHINTA, signed in February 2025, signifies SMU’s ongoing commitment to fostering broader, more meaningful, and strategically aligned international collaborations that benefit its students, faculty, and community. Project Maalaga is a testament to SMU’s commitment to internationalization and providing global career prospects for its nursing graduates.
This activity is aligned with SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
Â
Written by: Valien T. Orani, IO Staff
