NBSC, MSU-IIT, and International Scholar Forge Partnership for Indigenous Research
A significant exploratory meeting held on February 21, 2025, in the NBSC Board Room, marked the beginning of a promising collaboration between Northern Bukidnon State College (NBSC), Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), and Dr. Bronwyn Mei Winch, a Visiting Fellow from the Bonn International Center for Conflict Studies (Germany).
The meeting focused on fostering connections and supporting research engagements, particularly concerning the region’s Indigenous Peoples (IP). Dr. Primitivo C. Ragandang III and Ms. Jea Murillo from MSU-IIT joined Dr. Winch and NBSC faculty researchers for the discussions.
NBSC faculty researchers presented their ongoing studies to the visitors, highlighting the institution’s commitment to IP education and research. The NBSC faculty members emphasized the institution’s productive partnerships and that 63% of the student population are IP students, along with their extension programs tailored for IP students. The goal is to develop a collaborative research project.
Dr. Ragandang expressed his awe and appreciation for various aspects of the research presented and the IP representation and population at NBSC.
“𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝, 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙡𝙚𝙙𝙜𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙉𝘽𝙎𝘾 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙬𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝.” he shared.
NBSC students from the various tribes of Bukidnon were also invited to meet Dr. Winch, providing a platform for direct engagement and dialogue. Mr. Florandy Marangga, the Indigenous People Youth president, enthusiastically expressed his gratitude to NBSC.
“𝘿𝙖𝙠𝙤 𝙨𝙞𝙮𝙖𝙜 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙣𝙜𝙖 𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙡 𝙢𝙞 [𝙢𝙜𝙖 𝙄𝙋] 𝙖𝙣𝙞 [𝙢𝙜𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨]… 𝘿𝙖𝙠𝙤 𝙟𝙪𝙙 𝙖𝙠𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙢𝙖𝙩 𝙣𝙜𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙠𝙖𝙨𝙠𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙖 𝙠𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙨𝙖 𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙣 𝘽𝙪𝙠𝙞𝙙𝙣𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚 𝙠𝙖𝙮 𝙗𝙞𝙨𝙖𝙣 𝙄𝙋 𝙩𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙖-𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙝𝙪𝙠𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙜𝙖 𝙄𝙋 (𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙜 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙚 [𝙄𝙋] 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚 [𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙟𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙨]… 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙡𝙮 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙙𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙩 𝙉𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙣 𝘽𝙪𝙠𝙞𝙙𝙣𝙤𝙣 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙄𝙋, 𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙤 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙜𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙋 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙚𝙨).”
The partnership between NBSC, MSU-IIT, and Dr. Bronwyn Mei Winch aims to empower Indigenous Peoples by prioritizing their voices in research. Engaging with diverse student tribes, this initiative seeks to create impactful research outcomes that benefit the community and enhance Indigenous representation in higher education.
