Institutional representatives from La Salle-URL have travelled to the Asia-Pacific region to strengthen the campus’s international positioning through cooperation with other universities and participation in APAIE 2026, one of the most influential international higher education gatherings in the region. The delegation included Josep M. Santos, General Director of La Salle-URL and Vice President of the International Association of La Salle Universities (IALU); Nina Hofmann, Head of External Relations; and Víctor Alves, Head of International Relations.
This year’s APAIE conference was held in Hong Kong under the theme Asia-Pacific Partnerships for the Global Good and focused on the role of international alliances, institutional collaboration and inclusive participation in addressing global challenges through higher education. As part of the programme, Josep M. Santos took part in the President’s Dialogue, a forum that brought together 25 university presidents and more than 30 international education leaders from 17 countries to discuss the global challenges facing universities.
Future-proof learning means forming responsible global citizens. From a Lasallian perspective, this commitment is central. Education is no longer merely about skills acquisition; it is about shaping individuals comitted to the common good
Josep M. Santos, General Director of La Salle-URL and Vice President of the IALU
During APAIE, the La Salle-URL delegation held strategic meetings with nearly 50 universities, including partners such as Universidad del Desarrollo (Chile), Tilburg University and EDHEC Business School, and participated in several networking receptions. The conference also provided opportunities to connect and reconnect with universities from the ENGAGE.EU alliance and the International Association of La Salle Universities. In addition, La Salle-URL co-organised the reception Study in Catalonia – Take a Break: Study in Catalonia. Once again, APAIE has proven to be a key platform for understanding the priorities shaping higher education in the Asia-Pacific region.
During the trip, the campus representatives also visited several universities to strengthen existing collaborations and explore new opportunities for academic cooperation, joint programmes, student mobility and research projects. One of the highlights was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Catholic University of Korea. Among the universities visited were:
Philippines:
- International School Manila
- Thames International
- De La Salle Saint Benilde
- De La Salle Dasmariñas
- De La Salle University Manila
South Korea:
- Catholic University of Korea
- SeoulTech
China:
- Zhejiang University
- Fudan University
- Nanjing University of Science and Technology
- Nanjing University of Finance and Economics
- Hang Seng University
- Hong Kong Metropolitan University
- Chinese University of Hong Kong – Shenzhen
- SIAS University
Singapore:
- National University of Singapore (NUS)
- Singapore Management University (SMU)
- De La Salle College of Arts Singapore
- James Cook University
This visit forms part of La Salle-URL’s internationalisation strategy, aimed at strengthening collaboration with academic institutions worldwide and promoting joint initiatives in teaching, research and knowledge transfer.
