UP-CIFAL Philippines and UNITAR Launch 7th Professional Course on Global Migration

20 August 2025—The University of the Philippines – Centre International de Formation des Autorités et Leaders (UP-CIFAL) Philippines, in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), successfully launched the seventh iteration of the Professional Course on Global Migration (PCGM). 

Now in its seventh run, the course offers participants a blend of theoretical grounding and practical tools designed to improve the formulation and implementation of evidence-based migration policies. Through interactive learning methodologies, case studies, and collaboration with both local and international experts, the PCGM empowers participants to become more effective actors in the field of migration governance. The program continues to serve as a dynamic platform for regional and global cooperation among migration practitioners.

In his keynote remark, University of the Philippines System President Angelo Jimenez described the PCGM as more than just an academic offering. He emphasized that it is “a platform for empowerment, bringing professionals from different fields and backgrounds together.” He highlighted the course’s alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Global Compact for Migration (GCM), stating that it “not only offers knowledge, but also a call to action by engaging with the realities of migration governance through a multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral lens.”

Mr. Alex Mejia, Director of the Division of People and Social Inclusion at UNITAR and Head of the CIFAL Global Network, also addressed the participants. He emphasized the global urgency of migration, stating that “migration remains one of the most complex and urgent global challenges of our time. It is shaped by factors such as climate change, conflict, inequality, and opportunity.” He added that migration, when governed effectively in a safe, orderly, and rights-based manner, can be a source of innovation and human connection. Mr. Mejia stressed that “equipping practitioners with the knowledge, tools, and networks to address migration governance, while aligning with the SDGs and the GCM, is more imperative than ever.”

Dr. Michelle R. Palumbarit, Director of UP-CIFAL Philippines, welcomed the course participants by encouraging deep reflection and engagement. “I invite you all to explore the realities, complexities, and both the challenges and opportunities that migration brings,” she said. “May this course deepen your knowledge and enrich your perspectives on what it means to move, to live, and to belong.”

The course launch was attended by esteemed experts and learners from the following organizations: Compass Immigration Legal Services, Government of Canada – Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Embassy of the Netherlands in Algeria, Sheikh Khalid Group of Schools, University of the Philippines, Nedlegs Incorporated, Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines, Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO), Bureau of International Health Cooperation, Department of Health, Department of Migrant Workers, Department of Foreign Affairs, Office of the Undersecretary for Migration Affairs (DFA OUMA), Department of Foreign Affairs – Philippine Embassy in Spain, 1st Northern International Placement Inc., and Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth). 

UP-CIFAL Philippines remains committed to advancing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by integrating migration into broader development planning and ensuring that no one is left behind.