AUN – GIST Scholarship on Science and Technology

The cooperation between the AUN and the Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) has been initiated in October 2005 with the signing the Memorandum of Understanding. The co-operation aims to promote human resource development in Sciences & Technology by providing the scholarship in Ph.D. and Master Studies in these areas.

This program offers 10 scholarships to ASEAN students to study Master's (4 scholarships) and Doctoral (6 scholarships) degrees in science and technology for 2-4 years (2 for Master’s degree and 4 for Doctoral degree). The scholarship covers tuition fee, airplane ticket, accommodation and living allowance.

Now the AUN Secretariat is accepting the application for the university staff and students in related department to GIST, Republic of Korea.

GIST offers the following (sub)disciplines:
□ Information & Mechatronics (SIM)
□ Materials Science & Engineering (MSE)
□ Environmental Science & Engineering (ESE)
□ Life Science (LS)
□ Photon Science & Technology (PhoST)
□ Medical System Engineering (SMSE)


Download the application for AY 2009 here.
Click here for more information.

Good luck guys! Tee-hee!

Scholarship to South Korea, ASEAN

For undergraduate peeps in UP, Ateneo, and de la Salle, this is your chance to study in Daejeon University, South Korea--all expenses paid. Check out the poster for more details.

I know, I know. I posted this one too late.Application will be in December 2009. Visit the AUN Secretariat for more details.

Worrying is a Misnomer of Planning

Getting a big job done well starts with careful planning. Never forget that a good plan is an essential part of the preparation process.

In the Bible there is an unforgettable story about planning, which isn't very well known. Its setting takes us far back in time---somewhere in the middle of the fifth century BC---after Jerusalem had been destroyed and the Jews from all over ancient Israel had been deported to Babylon.

As the years passed, Babylon was overtaken by the Persians, whose king, Artaxerxes, had a soft place in his heart for all those Jews who were being forced to live away from their homeland. One of his trusted confidants named Nehemiah, himself a Jew, longed to return to his beloved city in order to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem so it could be protected once again. When Nehemiah made that request, the Persian king not only granted him his wish, he even provided the official papers that would allow Nehemiah to return without any difficulty.

Finally, Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem. And what he saw must have broken his heart---perhaps he felt like those who had once lived in New Orleans and who returned following Hurricane Katrina back in the early fall of 2005. There was nothing but devastation. Nehemiah realized more than ever that the protective stone wall must once again stand tall and sturdy surrounding the City of David. Talk about the need for a big job to be done well! The man was determined to rebuild that wall . . . but where in the world do you start? And how do you get it done? He needed a careful plan.

Not surprisingly, he spent several days putting together that strategic plan. He began by walking through the devastation as he surveyed the damage. According to Nehemiah 2:11-16 (please read), he took plenty of time to think and to pray as he prepared for the days that lay ahead. We read that he didn't discuss his plans with anyone (except the Lord, of course), before he finally called a meeting and broke the news to everyone. Here are Nehemiah's own words as he told of that moment:

Then I said to them, "You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach." I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king's words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, "Let us arise and build." So they put their hands to the good work. (Nehemiah 2:17-18)

No less than 52 days later---in less than two months---the project was completed (read Nehemiah 6:15). The sturdy stone wall was totally reconstructed, new gates were built and hung, and everyone rejoiced! Oh, they had plenty of challenges along the way, they had numerous obstacles from without and within, but each one was overcome as the job was finished in record time. All the leader's work of preparation paid off because the tasks were organized so well ahead of time. As the old saying goes, Nehemiah planned his work then worked his plan.

Maybe you've made some goals for this new year that involve adopting a healthy lifestyle. If so, that's wonderful! But just as preparation played a vital role in a project of the magnitude of Nehemiah's, so also we can be sure that the same is true as we face the challenges of change. It won't "just happen." A good place to start is to face the truth of where we are---acknowledging the toll that bad habits and an undisciplined lifestyle have taken . . . but we can't stop there. We then must map out a plan we'll follow, just like Nehemiah did when he took a walk around the city. That involves preparing our minds and hearts for whatever it will take to reach our goal(s). And then? With enthusiasm and determination, we get underway . . . one day at a time.

I wish I could promise that in 52 days we'll reach our objective(s) , but I can't. However, I can assure you that you'll see some major changes start to emerge in that relatively short period of time, and that will be very encouraging.

Let's plan well. Let's prepare diligently. Let's pray hard. And then, let's go after it with our whole hearts.

Read Charles R. Swindoll, Insight for Today and start your day right!

An Urbanite's Must-have

I’ve lived my life as a student taking the public transportation, but I could say that have I had my own car, commuting would have been a lot easier. You just can’t imagine how horrible riding a jeepney is. It’s our countries most ubiquitous vehicle; an open-air modified military jeep that lets you eat all the dust as it cuts through the moderately traffic streets. Now that I’m working, I won’t allow myself to enter our air-conditioned office smelling like a concoction of unwanted elements. I asked my dad a number of times to buy me a car from the used autos shop, but only to find out later that my mother has already suggested a new “house project” that certainly would displace my wheeled proposal. This time, she didn’t succeed. My bid for a used car has won over her new gas range. I and my dad went two months ago to the used cars shop and test-drove cars of different makes. I picked the Toyota Vios 2006 model. Well, if you’re like me who sees having a car as an urban dweller’s necessity, impede your mobility no more b visiting used cars or new autos shop. Autotropolis is a website that can help you select a used car hassle-free. It has a very convenient dropdown box at the right hand side of the homepage that lets you select that make of the car, the model, maximum price and maximum distance (or mileage) run by the car. Searching for a second-hand baby is such a breeze. You can also search the site for a used car by state. You can select your state from the list or you can conveniently use the dropdown box where you can type your ZIP code. With family budgets tighter than ever, and not to mention the palpable effects of recession, buying a used car would prove to be an intelligent decision.

Just Compensation Guaranteed

Your belongings—your car, your house, your designers clothes, and your health—are things you have invested upon, and as such, should be protected from harm and impairment. But what if something or someone do inflict a considerable amount of damage? Of course you might want to ask—or even demand—for commensurate reparation. Just today I received an SMS from my mom informing me that her car was unintentionally hit at the rear by a woman driver. Both were cooperative and civil enough to just settle the matter amicably. The same situation doesn’t happen to anyone, though, especially if a greater degree of loss has been inflicted to the offended party. And sometimes, the offended doesn’t have the money to fend himself or herself and get his or her rights backed up by law. Herein comes First Personal Injury. It is a service that help the offended their rights to personal injury claims. In our country, where riding the bicycle as a means of transpiration is common, bicycle accident claims are commonplace. And to some universal degree, traffic accidents, which kills more often that heart attack, can entitle one to whiplash injury claims. The latter could be seen in a trivial light, but whiplash injuries could be very distressing and could limit the normal physiological activity of the person damaged. First Personal Injury boasts of its no-win-no-fee legal services to people who are not be able to afford to pay for these services. FPI is also a bastion of compensation experts and lawyers who already have garnered enough experience to flaunt a no-win-no-fee deal. Drop First Personal Injury a line should you need an expert guidance for accidents involving children, including birth accidents and other medical malpractice issues. Rest assured that your valuables would get compensated in the fairest amount possible.

Let Your Heart Be Established By Grace

I'm resigning from my job this February. I think I've already finished the learning curve of online teaching and am all set to find my second job. My decision to quit does have a smidgen of regret as I'm going to lose the luxury of being able to buy things for myself, not to mention my ability to contribute to the family's budget. I also feel uncertain about my short-term future. Never before had I been like this. My advance worrying often leads me to doing advance planning. Not this time. My ego has been effectively pinned down by circumstances I have 10% control of. In the past, my achievements speak forcefully on my behalf; they grease me through success. Now, my self could only revel on my achievements, and nothing more.

My friend sent me this email as an encouragement. And I want it to share to anyone who has been inflicted with angst, if not with lack of grace.




Hebrews 13:9
9… it is good that the heart be established by grace…

God does not want your heart full of worries and fears, tossed and turned by every challenge that comes your way. He wants your heart at rest and established by His grace toward you.

But when you think that the breakthroughs to your challenges depend on your ability to obey God, then your heart will not be at rest. It will be full of worries and anxieties. Why? Because you can never obey God perfectly.

But when you depend on God's grace, that is, His undeserved, unmerited favor, the opposite happens — your heart becomes established. When you know that the only thing that qualifies you to receive God's blessings is faith in the finished work of Christ, your heart becomes established. Then, you will walk without the fear of your troubles swallowing you up. You will walk with full assurance that His blessings will be manifested in your life.

My friend, God wants your heart established, knowing that His righteousness, healing, protection and prosperity are yours — all paid for by Jesus' finished work at the cross. God's blessings are sure in your life because they are not dependent on your ability to keep His laws, but Jesus' perfect obedience.

You see, under the old covenant, you receive God's blessings only if you keep all His laws. (Deuteronomy 28:1–2) If you sin and fail to keep even one law, you will be disqualified from receiving His blessings. But today, under the new covenant, your sins no longer disqualify you because God Himself has said, "For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." (Hebrews 8:12)

So let your heart be established by God's grace. Because of His grace, you have full access to His blessings. You no longer have to worry about whether you are good enough. You can stand firm on the promises made in His Word and enjoy His blessings today because Jesus has paid the price. Your part is only to believe and receive!

Pschotic Propensities

Take the test here.