By: Janine Balageo

Two faculty members from the College of Criminal Justice Education (CCJE) of the University of the Cordilleras have been accepted into the prestigious Global Minds Short Research Stay Program of Ghent University, Belgium. This program is designed to strengthen research and educational capacities among partner institutions in the Global South through collaboration, mentorship, and international knowledge exchange.

Dr. Nica D. Togana will conduct her research stay from October 16 to November 11, 2025, under the mentorship of Professor Dr. Jelle Janssens. Her study, “The War on Drugs in the Philippines: A Criminology of War Perspective,” critically examines the Duterte administration’s anti-drug campaign through a criminological and human rights-based lens. Positioned within the broader goals of the Rights2LIFE Project, this research seeks to understand how the Philippine government’s drug policy was constructed, justified, and executed, and how its methods reflect elements of militarization and state-led violence.

Meanwhile, Dr. Debbie Karyle F. Arquero will stay from September 16 to December 14, 2025, under the supervision of Professor Dr. Tom Vander Beken. Her study, “Familial Facilitation and Socio-Economic Drivers of Live-Streamed Child Sexual Exploitation in the Philippines,” looks at the rising frequency of live-streamed child sexual exploitation (LSCE) and its socioeconomic causes.

This international engagement reflects the University of the Cordilleras’ commitment to advancing global research collaboration and academic excellence. Through the Global Minds Program, UC faculty members continue to expand their scholarly horizons, contribute to evidence-based human rights advocacy, and uphold the university’s vision of fostering globally competent researchers.