ENGAGE-Asia

ENGAGE-Asia is a five-month, non-degree, blended Certificate Course programme consisting of two phases: an online phase and a residential/in-person phase. The online phase, which will run from 3 March to 13 June 2025, involves the completion of selected GLU Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) and selected chapters of the FES web-based Trade Unions in Transformation Toolkit. The completion of the MOOCs and toolkit and participation in the online workshops of the online phase are requirements for participants to progress into the residential/in-person phase of the programme.

The residential/in-person phase, which deep dives into the topics of the MOOC and toolkit, will be held from 23 June to 18 July 2025 at UP SOLAIR (in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines). It consists of six modules, divided into sessions, that constitute the programme’s core courses:

Module 1: Global Governance and the Role of Labour

Module 2: Labour and Development

Module 3: Industrial Policy, Wages and Collective Bargaining

Module 4: Challenges in the World of Work and Role of Trade Unions

Module 5: Trade Unions in Transform tio

Module 6: Group Research Project

For the in-person phase, participants are expected to arrive in the Philippines on 21-22 June 2025. The first session starts in the morning of 23 June. Sessions are to be held from Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. There are approximately 15 in-person sessions and four days of field work for the group research project. Graduation is scheduled on 18 July 2025, therefore return flights will be booked on 19-20 July 2025. The detailed schedule and curriculum of the in-person course programme will be provided later to the successful applicants.

The course instructors include professors and lecturers from the GLU university network (University of Kassel, Berlin School of Economics and Law, and School of Labor and Industrial Relations of the University of the Philippines) and their universities, in addition to leaders and practitioners from global union federations, national trade unions, and international trade union support organisations.

Participants of the programme who will not be awarded a scholarship will be assessed a registration fee of US$700 (Php39,200.00). The registration fee will cover the following items and expenses:

• Course tuition fee
• Modules and learning materials
• Lunch and snacks during in-person sessions for approximately 15 days
• Dinner and cocktails in the opening session and graduation/closing session
• Transportation and lunch for a study visit
• Certificate of completion
• Administrative costs

The registration fee does not include any transportation costs, whether by land, sea, or air, and accommodation costs that the participant may incur for her/his participation in the course. Food expenses outside the course sessions (e.g., breakfast, dinner) will also be borne by the participants. It is also the responsibility of non- Filipino participants to secure an entry visa to the Philippines, if required, and to get a travel and health insurance covering the duration of their stay in the country.

The self-funded participants will be provided a list of options for accommodation within or near the university campus. There are many eating places offering decent food at affordable prices in and around the adjoining areas. The detail below provides estimates for the cost of meals and accommodation.

Hotel accommodation: US$ 230* to 770** per month

Food: US$ 12 to 20 per meal

Note: The US dollar estimates are based on a conversion rate of Php55 to US$1. Dollar amounts are subject to currency fluctuations.

* This is the monthly (30 days) rate for a regular room at the UP International Center located in UPD Campus and

**This is the monthly (30 days) rate for a regular single/twin-sharing room at the University Hotel located in UPD campus.

A limited number of scholarships will be awarded to selected participants. The scholarship covers the following:

• Course tuition fee
• Food and (twin-sharing) accommodation for the duration of stay in the Philippines (approximately 28-30 days) to participate in the in-person sessions
• Transportation expenses within Metro Manila and/or within the Philippines (for Filipino participants)
• Roundtrip airfare
• Travel and health insurance for non-Filipino participants

Applicants who are eligible for a scholarship are those who:

1. Come from and/or presently reside in countries in Asia that are not part of the Development Assistance

Committee (non-DAC) of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

2. Are currently affiliated with any of the following: trade unions, other worker organisations, and labor- oriented non-government organisations. Priority will be given to applicants who come from trade unions, are not older than 40 years old, and hold an elective or appointive position in the union, or who are union organisers, or labour trainers/educators.

3. Have been working in the trade union for at least three years at the time of application and formally commit to work in the union for at least three more years after completing the course.

4. Formally commit in writing that they will meet all of the following course requirements:

• completion of all the MOOC video lectures
• attendance in all the online and in-person sessions
• active participation in the completion and presentation of the results of the group research project (Module 6)

5. Make an own-contribution of US$200 to secure their commitment to complete the course.

An endorsement and/or recommendation by the applicant’s trade union/organisation of her/his application to the programme would be beneficial to a scholarship application.

As far as possible, the number of awarded scholarships will be divided equally between eligible female and male applicants.