Just a few words about an academic initiative currently taking place at Central Philippine University. “Learning from Yolanda: Disaster Response, Community Resilience and the Role of Asian Universities” is both a three-day international conference, and a 12-day service learning project jointly organized by CPU, the University of St La Salle and Stillman University, in full partnership with the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia. It’s taking place in and around Iloilo City because the wider Visayas region found itself in the eye of Super Typhoon Haiyan/Yolanda when it hit the Philippines in mid-November last year.

This excellent event draws in Myanmar participants, and deepens the United Board’s contribution to higher education across the country. Earlier this year, on February 4-7, the Board partnered with Dagon University and the Ministry of Education to convene a higher education leadership programme entitled “Education Reform in Myanmar: Extending a Helping Hand”. All power to my buddies Glenn Shive and Robert (Bob) Winter, who are right at the heart of the action.