St. Dominic College of Asia
SDCA ASEAN Nexus
Finalist, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Sustainability
About
The ASEAN Nexus at St. Dominic College of Asia (SDCA) is a transformative educational model that redefines cross-cultural learning by empowering students as the primary architects of regional understanding. Launched as a three-month, immersive ASEAN Cultural Expo conceived, curated, and managed by Tourism Management students, the initiative transformed passive learning into active creation. Students researched, designed, and narrated exhibits featuring authentic artifacts from all ten ASEAN nations, cultivating cultural intelligence, project management, and diplomatic communication. The exhibition engaged thousands from the campus and local community, forging genuine intercultural dialogue and solidarity. Its strategic value was formally recognized during the rigorous AUN-QA assessment and highlighted during the Miss Earth 2025 campus tour. Designed for scalability, the Nexus is evolving into a dynamic annual ASEAN Cultural Festival integrating live performances and partnerships with embassies and tourism boards. Achieved with near-zero direct monetary input but exceptional return on educational investment, the model proves that profound impact is driven by resourcefulness, student action, and institutional commitment. The ASEAN Nexus redefines SDCA as a forge for regional leadership, cultivating the empathetic and interculturally competent architects of ASEAN's shared future.
Top 3 learnings
- We learned that student agency transforms abstract awareness into real solidarity (SDG4)
- We discovered that zero-waste events are possible using donated and reused materials (SDG12)
- We realized that small projects can attract unexpected cross-sector partners (SDG17)
Sustainable Development Goals
| 2026 | |
| Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Sustainability | |
| Finalist, International |
