In a move to broaden global learning opportunities, the Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) has sent its second batch of veterinary medicine students to Universitas Brawijaya (UB) in Malang City, Indonesia. The group is participating in the Brawijaya International Student Mobility Awards (BISMA) scheduled from 12 to 19 April.
The MMSU delegation is composed of third-year veterinary medicine students Brenda Gayle Bayani, Jorryn Wayne Repato, Angela Lorenzo, Reo Shannon Rangcapan, Angelo Jay Pedro, and John Cyruz Portugal.
During the program, the students took part in practical training across various veterinary laboratories, including anatomy, internal medicine, surgery, radiology, and embryology. Their immersion also featured visits to key institutions such as the Balai Besar Inseminasi Buatan (BBIB) Singosari, a premier artificial insemination facility in Indonesia; the Technical Implementation Unit for Livestock Breeding and Forage (UPT PT & HMT) in Batu; and Indonesia Safari Park II Prigen.
Rangcapan said the BISMA experience offered valuable perspective on his future in the veterinary field. “This opportunity will broaden my understanding of veterinary medicine beyond the Philippine context. I believe it will strengthen my skills, particularly in real-world applications,” he said.
The six students are part of a group of fifteen participants selected for BISMA, representing the Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, and Thailand. They were accompanied by CVM faculty member Dr. Mark Stephen Ballog.
This latest immersion builds on the earlier deployment of CVM’s first batch of students to UB in early April for the International Summer Course, also held in Malang City. Both initiatives are part of the established academic partnership between MMSU and UB.