University of the Philippines-Diliman, Quezon City (PNA photo by Joan Bondoc)
MANILA – The University of the Philippines (UP) on Wednesday assured its collaboration with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in terms of research and training will not violate academic freedom.
This came after some sectors in the UP community expressed their concerns over the UP’s declaration of cooperation with the AFP on Aug. 8.
In a statement, UP president Angelo Jimenez said the UP Center for Integrative Development Studies (UP CIDS), which will lead the collaboration, has the “academic freedom” in its engagement with the AFP.
“UP CIDS is free to pursue research interests with AFP in areas that are relevant to UP’s role, mission, and mandate,” he said.
“This in itself is an exercise in academic freedom. The only thing required is conformity to the highest standards of academic rigor in the pursuit of truth,” he added.
Jimenez also assured mutual agreement for both parties in all activities within the collaboration.
“Our policy is engagement. The national defense establishment as an institution is not an enemy,” he said.
Under the said cooperation, the UP and AFP will have information sharing through forums and workshops with technical experts; solicitation of articles from AFP personnel for submission to the UP CIDS-published Philippine Journal of Public Policy; review of article submissions to the Quarterly Digest of the AFP Office of Strategic Studies and Strategy Management (OSSM); dissemination of UP CIDS research and conduct capacity building for AFP OSSM personnel in terms of strategic studies and security; as well as hosting of visits, exchanges, and research fellowship. (PNA)
