More international graduate scholarship opportunities await budding scientists and researchers in the fields of biotechnology, omics, and molecular biology.
The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) has recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Osaka University of Japan and DOST's Science and Education Institute (DOST-SEI) for the implementation of the PhiIDOST-Osaka University Graduate Scholarship Program in Biotechnology and Molecular Biology.
The said agreement was signed by Osaka University President, Dr. Shojiro Noshio, DOST-PCAARRD Executive Director, Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora, and DOST-SEI Director, Dr. Josette T. Biyo on March 6, 2023 at the Osaka University.
The program hopes to contribute to the upskilling of human resources in science, technology, and innovation by providing opportunities for quality graduate education and research training in Japan.
Under the said collaborative program, at most 10 Filipino graduate scholars are expected to study at the Osaka University for the program's first cohort in October 2023.
To jumpstart the said program, Dr. Kazuhito Fujiyama Osaka University's Director for International Center for Biotechnology visited DOST-PCAARRD on March 20, 2023 to meet DOST-PCAARRD officials and staff as well as possible graduate scholars for the said program.
The meeting was an opportunity for the group to discuss possible research activities that can be conducted with Dr. Fujiyama as mentor, once they are accepted in the scholarship program.
The PhilDOST - Osaka University Graduate Scholarship Program in Biotechnology and Molecular Biology is one of the activities of DOST-PCAARRD under its international Graduate Research Assistantship for Technology (iGREAT). According to Dr. Fezoil Luz C. Decena, Director of the Institution Development Division of DOST-PCAARRD, aside from providing premium scholarship grants to deserving graduate students, the iGREAT Program grantees can avail themselves of the DOST-PCAARRD research and development (R&D) re-entry grant of up to P10 million (M), which they can use for research conducted in their home institutions upon completion of their study program. Through this, they can immediately apply the graduate training and sustain the positive gains of their research.
While the PhilDOST - Osaka University Graduate Scholarship Program is focused on cutting-edge research on biotechnology and molecular biology, Dr. Decena disclosed that DOST-PCAARRD looks to expanding the graduate scholarship to other disciplines and campuses of Osaka University in the future.