QCU Welcomes DOST-PCAARD Balik Scientist Dr. Manny Reyes for First Professorial Lecture on Urban Agriculture and BERAE

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Quezon City University (QCU) officially launched its Balik Scientist engagement with the successful conduct of the First Professorial Lecture of Balik Scientist Dr. Manuel R. Reyes, Adjunct Professor of Kansas State University, on November 27, 2025, at the QCU Laboratory Building.

Titled “Joy in Urban Agriculture: Concepts, Best Practices, and Conservation-Oriented Models,” the lecture introduced faculty members to the innovative BERAE Framework (Biodiversity Enhancement, Regenerative Agriculture, and Enterprise).

Dr. Reyes shared his global experience in restoring degraded landscapes through regenerative systems and demonstrated how these models can be applied even in dense urban environments like Quezon City.

In her message, Dr. Theresita V. Atienza, QCU President, emphasized that sustainability and ecological literacy are now central to the University’s academic direction. Faculty members actively engaged in discussions on integrating BERAE into curriculum, research, and extension programs. This landmark lecture formally positioned QCU as a growing living laboratory for sustainability, strengthening its research and extension thrusts and long-term commitment to climate action, food security, and innovation.

The Balik Scientist Program (BSP) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), implemented through the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST–PCAARRD), is a national initiative that encourages Filipino experts based abroad to return to the Philippines—on a short-term or long-term basis—to share their knowledge, mentor local researchers, and strengthen the country’s science, technology, and innovation ecosystem.

Through this program, institutions like QCU gain access to global expertise, advanced research mentorship, and international networks that accelerate the development of high-impact research, technology transfer, and community-based innovations, particularly in priority sectors such as agriculture, food systems, biodiversity, and sustainability.

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