Northwestern University VP Dr. Eric Parilla Keynotes Global Social Entrepreneurship Event in Indonesia

Northwestern University Vice President for Research, Community, and Social Development Dr. Eric S. Parilla, DBA, FBE, was invited as the keynote speaker for the International Faculty of Economics and Business Universitas Padjadjaran Summer Camp and Global Immersion 2023 in Bandung, Indonesia, on August 7-11, 2023.

The theme of the event was “Empowering Change Makers: A Summer Project of Social Entrepreneurship.” The event was also attended by NWU’s Dean of Teacher Education, Prof. Juan Jobelle Acosta, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Florence Ganir, and two MBA students—Blessed Lucky Juan and Clyde Ramos.

Dr. Parilla emphasizes that the immersion journey underscored the need to transcend the narrow focus on profits through tuition fees. By embracing a more comprehensive perspective, it can enhance the quality of education it provides, thereby nurturing well-rounded individuals equipped for the challenges of an interconnected world. This paradigm shift redefines success not merely by monetary gains, but by the positive impact it will have on students’ lives.

“Participating in the Global Immersion program has profoundly transformed my perspective as an educator. The experience offered me a fresh lens through which to view the intricate dynamics of educational institutions. As I engaged with diverse educational systems and cultures, a pivotal realization emerged – the significance of balancing organizational benefits with financial sustainability,” Prof. Juan Jobelle Acosta said.

Blessed Lucky Juan and Clyde Ramos won the Best Global Immersion Participants and Most Active in Social Media awards. Prof. Juan Jobelle Acosta was awarded the Social Entrepreneur Model.

“There are opportunities that face-to-face offers (that) online cannot give,” said Dr. Parilla. “I got to see the expressions and emotions of different races, Vietnamese, Indonesians, Thais, Malaysians, Germans, and of course Filipinos. I was satisfied with my lecture, and I do hope the more than 100 participants during the Global Immersion on Social Entrepreneurship learned from me. The people of Universitas Padjadjaran were very accommodating and friendly, and for that I will be forever grateful.”