OFFICE OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

Functions of the Office of External Affairs:

• As far as International Linkages are concerned, the Office of External Affairs solicits international linkages for faculty exchanges, grants and fellowships; it facilitates the drafting of memoranda of understanding and/or agreement as well as proposals for joint institutional projects together with the appropriate college or department; it monitors and evaluates on-going international linkages; and receives and supervises visiting scholars, visiting graduate researchers, internship and student exchange programs.



• As far as National/Regional and Local Linkages are concerned, the Office of External Affairs serves as the channel of communication and monitors national and regional institutional linkages; it promotes the formation of national and regional academic linkages through professional associations, business and industry, governmental and non-governmental organizations, ecclesiastical, cultural and other linkages as well as their monitoring and periodic evaluation.



• As far as International Students are concerned, the Office of External Affairs helps advertise through the University Website the University’s academic programs for international students; it develops a comprehensive program for the orientation, enrolment and immigration of international students; it prepares an appropriate program for the integration of international students into the academic and social life of the University.



• As far as Mission Animation is concerned, the Office of External Affairs takes effective steps to draw the perspectives of the University’s Long-range Planning Road Map in line with the Vision-Mission-Goals of the Philippine SVD Southern Province; it helps in the formulation of values formation programs ad intra and ad extra; it assists in the systematic integration of ethics and spirituality in  academic programs; and it facilitates the shaping of a spirituality agenda for teaching and non-teaching staff and students in coordination with their respective academic and administrative offices. This office coordinates with the Philippine SVD Southern Province in the articulation and formulation of the vision of its educational ministry and, accordingly, facilitates the introduction of the missionary character of the Society in the academic programs at the University.



• As far as the branding of the University is concerned, the Office of External Affairs, taking cognizance of the mission of the Philippine SVD Southern Province for the next quarter, oversees the content and tone of advertisements and promotional materials of the University including the highlighting of its competitive advantage in terms of academic achievements of faculty and students. It rationalizes policy and innovation in advertising of educational products, integrates brand strategies at every point of public contact, produces marketing materials and serves as the clearinghouse for advertisements and promotional materials of colleges, departments and other units.



• As far as the public image of the University is concerned, the Office of External Affairs initiates programs to enhance the University’s public relations function, media presentations and reputation management—protecting or repairing itsreputation.  It initiates programs aimed at cultivating a strong, positive image of the University among its stakeholders, designing and implementing a well-defined public relations plan, and the highlighting of University signature programs and projects to project an attractive image to the outside; it consolidates academic activities and alumni functions of academic and administrative departments to design a yearly University Calendar as well as compiles faculty, staff and student achievements and awards; institution building and research grants; and linkages with other universities and industry; and it serves as public and media relations officer, furnishes and edits the content for the Official University Website, utilizes social networking sites and other media such as videos, television, radio and print media in the dissemination of the information mentioned above.



• As far as resource generation is concerned, the Office of External Affairs coordinates the maiden activities of the new Office of Naming Rights and initiates the establishment of an integrated Resource Development Unit that shall link institutional information and resource generation. In relation to this function, it facilitates the collection of information on what is happening at the University, its timely and proper dissemination among major stakeholders and, importantly, the informing of donors about institution-wide accomplishments, fundraising successes and the development needs of the University. It maintains contact with present and prospective donors and friends through the Office of Naming Rights and submits an annual report describing institution-wide accomplishments and fundraising results, the conduct of periodic resource generating activities for institutional development.