Former HSF Scholars’ Year-ender
Online Assembly Strengthens Camaraderie through Exchange of Information and Updates

HSF

What are the programs and plans of the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSF) in the Philippines?  What are the challenges and issues that the Philippine educational system is facing?  In the middle of it all, how are the Foundation’s former scholars faring?

Four months after Metro Manila shifted back to its most restrictive quarantine status early August 2021 due to rising COVID-19 cases, as mobility restrictions have begun to ease again, seven former HSF scholars reconnected online and sought apprises.  They requested an update on the Foundation’s country offices in the South and Southeast Asian region and of the Foundation’s development cooperation work in the country.

The alumni were eager to be informed as well about the ongoing projects of the social enterprise Insphero vis-à-vis the challenges the Philippine educational system is facing and to be more cognizant of a matter of common concern.  Above all, the meeting served as a means for them to keep in touch both with the HSF and with fellow former scholars.

The HSF’s Resident Representative in the Philippines, Mr. Goetz Heinicke, briefly touched on the general situation of the Foundation’s offices in the region.  He discussed the Foundation’s programs and projects in the Philippines that are foreseen to be continued until the end of 2022, and which would possibly extend into the next project cycle, from 2023 to 2025.

Mr. Heinicke informed the group about the Foundation’s latest scholar, Nicole Emellie Lim Yu, who is currently taking up further studies as part of a Master of European Studies program in Bonn, Germany and would be welcomed to join the Hannsiklub upon her return to the Philippines.  He expressed a positive outlook for continued and future support for the Foundation’s former scholars and their activities.

In presenting specific statistics, Dr. Gabriel D. Orendain provided an incisive look at the state of the Philippine educational system, which was aggravated by the disruption wrought by the ongoing global health situation.  He observed that the educational system coupled by a lecture-centric curriculum is “outdated” and opined that the current digital learning landscape requires students to be independent learners equipped with a proactive skill set.  He added that the youth need to be encouraged to develop a self-directed approach to be better able to effectively benefit from the wealth of content they have access to online.

A former HSF scholar who completed post-graduate studies on “Action-Learning” in the State Institute for Education of Munich, Germany, Dr. Orendain established Insphero to help underprivileged youth through education.  He talked about the organisation’s achievements and ongoing program and described how it is working to contribute towards bridging a gap in the country’s current educational system.

Known as the organised group of former HSF scholars from the Philippines, the Hannsiklub comprises Germany alumni from the first batch of HSF scholars in 1983, that included young professionals from different fields of expertise who completed two-year further study and training programs in Munich, Germany with the support of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.  This was succeeded by several more batches in the following years.

Less than ten years later, the Hannsiklub was established in 1992 by the alumni during the first Nachkontaktkonferenz (Follow-up Contact Conference) held in the Philippines.  The primary objective of the association was for the group to remain in contact with each other and to keep alive the memories and experiences in Germany.  The alumni also wanted to maintain and strengthen their contact to Germany and to the Foundation.

The former scholars appreciated the information about the Foundation’s project activities and plans for the future and welcomed the continued support for the alumni.  Those present agreed to explore ways by which the group can initiate or support projects that can contribute to inculcating a growth mindset in the Filipino youth and to the uplifting of the Philippines’ educational standards.  Insphero, meanwhile, will continue reaching out to college dropouts and employed college undergraduates and helping them earn their college degree while working.

In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, the Hannsiklub members voiced support for one another and resolved to continue meeting regularly and remain in contact.  The next Board Meeting is scheduled to be held in the first quarter of 2022, in preparation for the holding of the First Quarter General Membership Meeting.