International Innovation Center for Indigenous Studies

Taiwan and Philippines are geographical neighbors and share similar ecological environment and cultural landscape. Both countries also share common concerns on the preservation of indigenous knowledge and sustainable development issues. 

On May 25, 2019, the Ifugao State University (IFSU) of the Philippines and National Chengchi University of Taiwan signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding to promote international academic cooperation and research experiences for both universities under the Center for Taiwan-Philippines Indigenous and Local Knowledge and Sustainable Studies Project.

One offshoots of the MOU is the establishment of the IFSU International Innovation Center for Indigenous Studies.

As a Center, it envisions as the academic pioneer of indigenous knowledge, local knowledge and sustainable development studies; sharing of experience of development and building mutual support between indigenous community in different countries; and the Philippine geography and language as a platform of the international academic community.

Its Mission includes Cultural Ecology; Development Studies and Regional Management while its Annual Goals focuses on Academic Research; Social Practice and Administration.

The Center prospects to become a sustainable institution to share research results with indigenous peoples, Non-Government Organizations; build a platform cooperated and managed by the international collaborators and enhance international connections and fund raising.

The current project leader is Dr. Eva Marie Codamon-Dugyon, University President with Ms. Eulalie D. Dulnuan.

IFSU, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), University of Hawai’i at Mānoa (UHM), and National ChengChi University (NCCU) are the main collaborative partners of the said project.

The Center is located at the Research and Development Center for the Ifugao Rice Terraces as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (IRT-GIAHS R&D Center), Ifugao State University, Main Campus, 3605 Lamut, Ifugao.