Holy Child Central Colleges, Inc. (HCCCI) opened its doors to the international higher education community at the European Association for International Education (EAIE) Conference and Exhibition 2026, using its four-day presence under the Fédération Européenne des Écoles (FEDE) stand to welcome universities, academic networks, and international education professionals and begin conversations on potential cooperation.

The sustained presence gave HCCCI an opportunity to present its internationalization initiatives, introduce its Philippine academic network, and engage directly with institutions interested in developing international connections. Conversations centered on student and faculty mobility, research, academic exchange, Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), and other areas of institutional cooperation.

Representing HCCCI were Marivet S. Caballero, President; Vanessa Marie L. Antiquin, Executive Vice President; and Roelof Van Buren, Internationalization Officer. Their participation brought HCCCI’s institutional leadership and internationalization efforts into direct dialogue with the wider higher education community gathered at EAIE Glasgow.

Among the institutions and networks engaged during the exhibition were BSG Booth Bordeaux, France; Academia Sinica; National Tsing Hua University; Kansai University; Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) at the Study in Malaysia Pavilion; the Arqus European University Alliance; College of the North Atlantic (CNA); Çağ University of Türkiye, represented by Dr. Ayşegül Kurtulgan; and Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University of Türkiye, represented by Duygu Kuru.

Several of these conversations built on existing or emerging areas of interest. Engagement with Kansai University further developed an established academic relationship that has included initiatives such as COIL, while discussions with Academia Sinica and National Tsing Hua University opened possibilities for academic and research connections with Taiwan. Conversations with EMGS provided insights into Malaysia’s international education environment, while engagement with European institutions and networks offered perspectives on mobility, collaboration, and internationalization across the region.

HCCCI’s presence also extended beyond its own institutional interests. The College brought with it member institutions, partner universities, Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs), and other Philippine higher education institutions (PHEIs), creating an avenue for a wider Philippine academic community to be introduced to international networks and potential collaborators.

This broader approach reflects HCCCI’s effort to make internationalization more collaborative and accessible. By sharing networks and opportunities with its Philippine partners, the institution seeks to help create connections that can eventually support student and faculty mobility, research, academic exchange, virtual international learning, and other forms of cooperation.

The value of the engagement does not end with the conference. Conversations initiated in Glasgow can become starting points for future initiatives, while the knowledge and perspectives gained from international institutions can be brought back to HCCCI and its partner schools to inform academic development and internationalization efforts.

The engagement contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4: Quality Education through international academic exchange; SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities through wider access to international networks and opportunities; SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions through intercultural and institutional dialogue; and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals through cross-border cooperation.

For HCCCI, EAIE Glasgow 2026 is not simply a conference appearance. It is an opportunity to welcome, listen, learn, and build relationships—while bringing the Philippine higher education community into conversations that can lead to meaningful international opportunities.

Through its four-day presence under the FEDE stand, HCCCI continues to strengthen its role as a bridge between Philippine and international higher education, working to turn conversations abroad into opportunities that can be shared with its students, faculty, and partner institutions at home.