MSU Strengthens Global Sustainability Commitment through EU-ASEAN Green Transition Cluster and SCOPE-HE Connectivity Package
Jakarta, Indonesia – May 2025 Mindanao State University (MSU) reaffirms its commitment to global sustainability and academic collaboration as a key participant in the EU-ASEAN Green Transition Cluster, part of the SCOPE-HE Connectivity Package—a flagship initiative funded by the European Union to support higher education transformation across regions.
MSU, together with five other leading institutions from Europe and Southeast Asia, is co-developing the innovative program GreenTrans-EDU: Towards Green Transformation in Higher Education, which aims to enhance sustainability in teaching, research, and knowledge transfer. The project aligns closely with MSU’s strategic goals on environmental education, sustainable development, and internationalization.
MSU’s delegation includes Director Melba M. Angni of the International Affairs and Linkages Office (IALO), Dr. Husna Abdullah Dimapalao, and Asst. Prof. Camar P. Ameril, both of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Their contributions reflect MSU’s growing role in global efforts to respond to climate challenges through higher education.
Launch of the Green Transition Cluster
The cluster officially began its collaboration with a working meeting on May 13, 2025, held at Lyon Restaurant, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Jakarta. The meeting brought together representatives from all six partner institutions to align goals, share expertise, and finalize plans for joint activities, including curriculum development and research.
The following day, on May 14, a significant milestone was reached: 
Prof. Jens Wolling of TU Ilmenau, head of the Green Transition Cluster, and Dr. Kai Sicks, Secretary General of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), signed a declaration of intent, marking a formal commitment to the objectives of the GreenTrans-EDU project and the broader SCOPE-HE initiative.
Present throughout the discussions and coordination was Dr. Mira Rochyadi-Reetz, Project Manager of the Green Transition Cluster, who played a key role in guiding the program’s direction and facilitating collaboration among the partner institutions.
Advancing Green Transformation: Target Outputs
As part of its mission, the Green Transition Cluster has set its sights on two key outputs that will drive transformative change in higher education. First, the cluster will co-develop a teaching module titled “Climate Action: Pathways to a Sustainable Future.” This module, grounded in the Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) framework and informed by cutting-edge research from the partner institutions, will provide students with both theoretical foundations and practical competencies to address sustainability challenges in real-world settings. To support scalability and integration, a digital manual detailing the module’s content and implementation process will be published, making it accessible to other higher education institutions beyond the cluster.
Second, the cluster will launch two multidisciplinary research sub-projects. One will focus on the relevance of renewable energy (SDG 7) in advancing climate action, while the other will explore the importance of protecting life on land (SDG 15) in achieving sustainability goals. These collaborative research efforts aim to produce not only peer-reviewed journal articles but also public-oriented outputs, including blogs, newspaper features, and radio interviews, to raise broader awareness and foster community engagement.
A Platform for Enriching Exchange
The workshops and discussions during the May meetings were hailed as deeply enriching, enabling participants to engage in meaningful dialogue on sustainability, curriculum transformation, and research collaboration across diverse educational and cultural contexts. These exchanges served to build mutual understanding, foster innovation, and establish a strong foundation for long-term partnerships.
“Being part of the SCOPE-HE Connectivity Package and the Green Transition Cluster gives MSU the opportunity to contribute our local knowledge and research capacity to global sustainability efforts,” said Director Melba M. Angni. “The discussions were not only intellectually engaging but also energizing, as we worked with like-minded institutions towards transformative educational models.”
MSU’s involvement exemplifies the university’s dedication to sustainable development and international academic leadership, placing Mindanao at the center of a dynamic EU-ASEAN network for green
Philippine Delegation and Regional Engagement at SCOPE-HE Workshop 
Mindanao State University’s delegation to the SCOPE-HE Connectivity Package Workshop was joined by fellow Philippine institutions Xavier University and Cordillera State Institute of Technology, both of which are members of the Blue Economy Cluster under the same program. This highlights the country’s strong representation and growing commitment to collaborative sustainability efforts within the EU-ASEAN higher education network.
The event also saw high-level participation from Philippine government and diplomatic representatives. Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Undersecretary Dr. Leah Buendia served as one of the panelists in the opening session on Science Diplomacy, contributing valuable insights on the role of research and innovation in international cooperation. Also in attendance was Ms. Maricar Yambao, representative of the Philippine Embassy to Indonesia, who underscored the importance of academic partnerships in deepening ASEAN-EU relations.
About the Cluster
The Green Transition Cluster brings together six higher education institutions from Europe and Southeast Asia, each contributing unique strengths to the collaborative initiative. From Europe, the partners include Technische Universität Ilmenau in Germany, serving as the Cluster Lead; Fachhochschule Erfurt (FHE), also from Germany; and Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC) in France. Representing the ASEAN region are Mindanao State University (Philippines), President University (Indonesia), and Universitas Pancasila (Indonesia). Together, these institutions form a dynamic transcontinental alliance committed to fostering sustainability in education, research, and outreach.
