Keynote Speaker
François Mabille
François Mabille was Professor of political science at the Université Catholique de Lille (2010-2016) and statutory researcher of the Societies, Religion and Secularism Group of the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). He started his career at the Institut Catholique de Paris in 1998 where he founded the Research Centre on Peace with Joseph Maïla, thus contributing to the introduction in France of the Peace Research movement. In this perspective, in 2000, he founded, again at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics, the master’s degree in International Solidarity and Actions of which he was the director until 2005. François Mabille was Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Economics for five years during which were created amongst others: the master in economic intelligence, a master in political science, a master in social economics, a master in environmental sciences and also the first University Diploma for the training of religious dignitaries (more especially imams and future imams). In 2010, François Mabille joined the Université Catholique de Lille where he teaches international relations at the Faculty of Law. In 2011, he created the chair ‘social stakes and prospective’, of which he is the holder, and took part in the activities of the International Institute of prospective on innovative ecosystems created in 2014. He also provided expertise documents for the International Organisation of La Francophonie and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He collaborated for many years with the Charles Leopold Mayer Foundation. He was appointed Secretary General of IFCU for a 3-years mandate effective September 2016, renewed in November 2019 for the same period.
Speakers
Most Rev. Gerardo Alminaza
Most Rev. Gerardo A. Alminaza, D.D., is a prominent Catholic leader known for his commitment to social justice and the rights of the marginalized. As the Bishop of the Diocese of San Carlos in the Philippines, he has dedicated his ministry to addressing poverty, land reform, and environmental sustainability issues.
Bishop Alminaza’s commitment to social justice is grounded in his deep theological understanding and practical pastoral care. His influence extends beyond his local diocese, as he actively engages in national and international organizations that promote peace, human rights, and sustainable development. Through his leadership, Bishop Alminaza strives to create a world that reflects the values of compassion, justice, and dignity for all.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Ma. A. Maranan
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Ma. A. Maranan is an accomplished Benedictine monk and priest. He received his solemn profession in 1989 and was ordained as a priest in 1991. He holds various academic degrees, including a Doctorate in Educational Management and a licentiate in Canon Law, among others. Fr. Aloy is known for his leadership skills, and he is the 1st University Rector-President of San Beda University. He has been recognised with several awards for his leadership, including the Lifetime Leadership Award in 2016 and Ten Outstanding Manilans Award for Academic Leadership in 2013.
Fr. Aloy holds several positions in local educational organisations, foundations, and consortia and has made significant contributions to the development of San Beda University. He has also established several initiatives, such as the Center for Research and Development, increased faculty research grants and indexed the university’s research in the international citation database. Fr. Aloy has significant international affiliations in various councils, associations, and institutions.
Montserrat Alom
Montserrat Alom is a sociologist of science specialized in international research collaboration and funding, knowledge circulation and responsible research practices. She is an associate researcher at CEPED-IRD, Université Paris Cité, and at the Institute of European Studies and Human Rights, Pontifical University of Salamanca. She is also an external lecturer at Université Paris-Est.
She joined the International Federation of Catholic Universities in 2003, where she currently holds the position of director of the International Center for Research and Decision Support (CIRAD).
Stephan Rothlin
Fr. Stephan Rothlin, who holds a doctorate in moral theology from the University of Innsbruck, Austria, is director of the Macau Ricci Institute and Ass. Research Professor of the Faculty of Business and Law of the University of Saint Joseph, Macau. Since 1998 he relocated to China, where his research has been focused on international business ethics and Catholic Social Teaching with a focus on China. He provides educational consulting services to encourage the practice of corporate social responsibility.
Dermot Nestor
Dermot Nestor is the current Head of School for Theology at ACU and is based at the Strathfield Campus. He joined the Faculty of Theology & Philosophy in July of 2011 from the School of Religions & Theology, Trinity College Dublin where he completed his B.A (Hons) and received his PhD. His dissertation, on the theme of Israelite ethnic identity, was conducted under the supervision of Prof. A.D.H. Mayes and was supported through a prestigious Government of Ireland Postgraduate Fellowship. He has also taught at several other institutes including Katholikie Universiteit Leuven, and SI. Patrick’s College, Dublin. He has served as an elected member of the Royal Irish Academy’s Classical and Near Eastern Studies Committee, as well as several international scholarly communities based at Trinity College Dublin.
Quintin Pastrana
Quintin Pastrana is the President of WEnergy Power Pilipinas, Maharlika Clean Power Holdings, and Archipelago Renewables Corporation, and is also the Head of Business Development for WEnergy Global. He graduated with degrees in Business, International Relations, and Creative Writing from the Universities of Georgetown, Cambridge, and Oxford. Quintin is an author of three books, a business anchor for ABS-CBN News Channel, the founder of the award-winning Library Renewal Partnership, an Asia 21 fellow of the Asia Society, one of the US-ASEAN business council’s young leaders, and is on the board of the Georgetown Club of the Philippines.
Nestor R. Ong
Engr. Nestor Rubio Ong is a Professional Industrial Engineer, a Lifetime Member of the Philippine Institute of Industrial Engineers, and an ASEAN Engineer. He has more than two decades of accomplishments and professional experience in several multinational manufacturing companies where he assumed various senior and technical management positions. He was named INTEL Key Employee in the Year 2000. He is the prime mover in the successful ISO Certification of UST likewise when UST earned the distinction of being the only university in the Philippines with a four-star rating from QS London. Engr. Ong is a full-time faculty member and is presently the Deputy Director for QS/THE Rankings of the Office of QS/THE Rankings of the University of Santo Tomas and directly reports to the Office of the Rector.
Stephenie O. Busbus
Stephenie O. Busbus is connected with Saint Louis University as a Professor and is the current Chair of the Institutional Reputation and Effectiveness Committee, Office of Institutional Development and Quality Assurance. Concurrently, she is the Graduate Program Coordinator for the Teacher Education Programs – School of Advanced Studies.
She too is a Community Lead of the Online Professional English Network (OPEN) on Inclusive Classroom Design Management Interest Community. She also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Philippine Association for Language Teaching (PALT) Inc., the official affiliate of the TESOL International in the Philippines.
Karen Tagulao
Dr. Karen Araño Tagulao is currently a senior lecturer at the Institute of Science and Environment of the University of Saint Joseph in Macao SAR. She is a marine biologist with extensive experience in teaching and research expertise on marine flora, including seagrass, seaweeds, and mangroves. She has participated and lead scientific research projects on the ecology of marine plants with a particular emphasis on algae and mangroves in the tropical Indo-Pacific region and Macao. Her current research is centered on the use of wetlands, specifically mangroves, as nature-based solutions for climate change mitigation and adaptation, water pollution remediation, and more recently, plastic pollution in Macao. In addition to her research, she actively promotes and communicates environmental education to local schools, organizations, industries and the general public.