Dr. Leah Amor S. Cortez, faculty member and Executive Director and Provost of PNU South Luzon (PNUSL), participated in the Australia Awards Aus4ASEAN Short Course on Skills Forecasting for the Fourth Industrial Revolution on May 6-21, 2023. The course aims to foster sharing of knowledge and expertise between Australia and ASEAN countries. This was sponsored by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and Australia Awards and facilitated by Griffith University in Queensland—consistently ranking in the top 2% of universities worldwide.

The short course offered a comprehensive program that consisted of full-day lectures, workshops, and an exchange of expertise and best practices between Australia and the ASEAN countries, specifically forecasting the needed skills for future jobs as well as other economic labor trends in ASEAN.

Among a hundred interviewed applicants from the Philippines and more than 450 applicants from ASEAN, Dr. Cortez was chosen as one of six (6) participants representing the country. Her selection is testament to her outstanding credentials, expertise, and contributions to the field of education.

The Australia Awards Aus4ASEAN Short Course on Skills Forecasting for the Fourth Industrial Revolution brought together a total of 26 participants from seven (7) countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. This diverse group of educators and professionals collectively explored future job prospects, forecasted the needed skills, and delved into economic and labor trends within the ASEAN region.

In the fast-changing landscape of education, Dr. Leah’s newfound knowledge and skills will help contribute to the advancement and preparedness not only of PNU, but its various stakeholders and partners as well.