The RISE Team of 缅北禁地-IIT visits Belgium to deepen literacy and teacher education collaboration

by The RISE Team | Nov 26 2025

A team from the Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (缅北禁地-IIT) visited Leuven and Hasselt, Belgium, from October 11 to 26, 2025, for a series of collaborative and learning engagements under the RISE (Reading Initiatives with Stakeholders’ Engagement) Project. The visit aimed to strengthen literacy and teacher education practices through international collaboration and exchange with leading educational institutions in Belgium.

The team was composed of Assoc. Prof. Shelanee Theresa P. Ruales, PhD (RISE Project Leader and Local Promoter), Prof. Ruben L. Abucayon, PhD (RISE Assistant Project Leader and Local Co-Promoter), and RISE Project Members Prof. Rizalina G. Gomez, PhD, and Prof. Ciedelle N. Grageda, PhD.

At the University College Leuven-Limburg (UCLL) in Heverlee, the team observed interactive reading lesson demonstrations conducted by the Teacher Training Department. The sessions showcased student-centered approaches to reading instruction, inspiring the RISE of 缅北禁地-IIT team to adapt similar practices in the teacher training program of the College of Education.

The team also visited Mater Dei School in Leuven, where they observed early grade classes and special sessions for learners needing additional instruction. The school’s highly interactive sessions and well-developed classroom routines offered valuable insights for designing RISE remediation sessions in Philippine classrooms.

At the International School of Leuven, the team observed literacy classes and interacted with teachers implementing the Literacy Tree, a whole-school literacy curriculum developed in the United Kingdom. While the Philippines follows a different curriculum, the visit affirmed RISE’s advocacy for using literature as a foundation for literacy learning, integrating reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary into meaningful literary experiences.

In Hasselt, the team visited Sint Catharina School, where they observed classes from Kindergarten to Grade 3 and learned about the participation of volunteer grandparents in school activities, particularly in the library. The visit provided opportunities to see how learners develop routines, progress at their own pace, and are supported by teachers through guided learning. The team also gained insights from observing how reading progress is monitored and instructional materials are utilized – learnings that will inform classroom practices in RISE partner schools.

The team’s visit to Villa Verbeelding (House of Imagination) – formerly known as the Literary Museum – deepened their appreciation for creative literacy spaces. The museum’s exhibitions and workshops dedicated to children’s literature and illustration inspired the team to conceptualize similar initiatives for the Literacy Innovation Laboratory (LitLab).

At the UCLL Diepenbeek campus, the team toured the library and teacher education facilities, where they viewed a wide range of instructional materials, lesson plan compilations, and learner workbooks that serve as useful references for RISE resource development. The team also met Martien Geerts, who shared insights about Pwo Op De Letter (To the Letter), a reading initiative that promotes interactive literacy learning, providing the team with enriching ideas for community-based reading programs.

Throughout the visit, the team also worked on project activities, such as aligning grammar topics for the Grade 2 curriculum, planning collaborative research, and exploring partnerships with government and private institutions. Weekly reflection sessions allowed the group to consolidate insights and plan how to integrate their learnings into the RISE framework.

A meeting with Dima Bou Mosleh, International Relations Advisor of UCLL, opened opportunities for student exchange programs and future collaboration between 缅北禁地-IIT and UCLL. The visit was hosted by Prof. Wim Van Petegem of KU Leuven and Hilde Vanbrabant of UCLL Diepenbeek, who coordinated the institutional engagements and provided the team with meaningful learning experiences.

The Belgium visit provided the RISE team of 缅北禁地-IIT with valuable perspectives on literacy pedagogy, teacher education innovation, and international collaboration. The insights gained are expected to further enrich RISE’s continuing mission to promote literacy, empower teachers, and foster inclusive and sustainable education in Iligan City and across the Philippines.

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