DOrSU Eyes Tie-Up with German Peace Group for Conflict-Sensitive Classrooms
Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU) is exploring a potential partnership with a German peacebuilding organization to integrate peace education and conflict sensitivity into its curriculum.
In a courtesy visit held today, July 24, at the University Boardroom, representatives from forumZFD, a Germany-based non-governmental organization (NGO), met with university officials and faculty members to present a proposal aimed at embedding peace perspectives across university courses, particularly in the humanities and social sciences.
Dr. Roy G. Padilla, DOrSU Vice President for Administrative Affairs, said the proposal aligns with the university’s core values but emphasized the need to observe due process.
“We need to coordinate with the legal office first,” VP Padilla said. “While the proposal aligns with our values, we must ensure that proper legal procedures are followed.”
Under the proposed collaboration, a six-month pilot program will be implemented to help faculty integrate concepts of peace and conflict transformation into their subjects. The initiative includes both face-to-face and online sessions, to be facilitated by forumZFD’s peace education advisors.
Dirgha Raj Sigdel, forumZFD Country Director, clarified that the goal is not to introduce a new subject, but to help teachers naturally incorporate peace topics into existing lessons.
“We’re not asking institutions to create a new subject,” Sigdel explained. “We’re helping teachers identify entry points—whether in literature, psychology, or history—where peace can be meaningfully discussed.”
ForumZFD has been active in the Philippines since 2008, primarily in Mindanao, supporting communities affected by decades of conflict. Its work focuses on non-violent conflict transformation, peacebuilding, and education. (DOrSU PIO)
