Romblon State University, through the International Relations Office, successfully conducted Day 1 of the SustainEd Lecture Series: Advancing Sustainability Education through SDG Classroom Learning last April 28, 2026, in partnership with Sunway University through the Sunway Centre for Planetary Health (SCPH). The session gathered faculty members and students from the Main Campus and satellite campuses via Zoom Teleconferencing, demonstrating strong university-wide engagement in sustainability education. Guided by the framework Systems → Impacts → Solutions, the opening day focused on “Systems,” highlighting environmental governance and ecosystem interconnectedness as key foundations of planetary health. The program featured Ms. Maneesha Kaur Khalae of SCPH, who discussed climate governance and intergovernmental coordination, and Dr. Lee Soon Loong of Universiti Malaya and SCPH, who explored the Ridge-to-Reef approach and ecosystem connectivity in relation to community livelihoods. The sessions emphasized the importance of global-to-local policy translation, nature-based solutions, and community engagement, reinforcing the value of systems thinking in advancing sustainable development and integrating planetary health into instruction, research, and extension initiatives.
The session was actively participated in by faculty members and students from the Main Campus and satellite campuses, who joined via Zoom Teleconferencing, reflecting strong university-wide engagement and commitment to sustainability education.
Guided by the learning progression Systems → Impacts → Solutions, Day 1 focused on “Systems”—highlighting environmental governance and the interconnectedness of ecosystems as essential foundations for understanding planetary health and sustainable development.
The program formally opened with remarks from Dr. Gianina Elaine M. Labicane, Vice President for Student Affairs and Services and Director of the International Relations Office, followed by a session overview by Mr. Dave Lota, SDG Center Head and was effectively moderated and hosted by Ms. Ma. Josefa O. PunongBayan, Head, Strategic Communication Office.
🔹Ms. Maneesha Kaur Khalae, Senior, Policy, Strategy and Advocacy Executive, Sunway Centre for Planetary Health
Delivered an in-depth lecture on Planetary Health and Climate Governance and Intergovernmental Coordination, emphasizing how global environmental agreements are translated into national and local actions through coordinated governance systems. She highlighted the importance of multi-level collaboration among governments and institutions and presented the Montreal Protocol as a successful model of global cooperation in addressing environmental challenges .
🔹 Dr. Lee Soon Loong, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya, Researcher, Sunway Centre for Planetary Health (SCPH), Sunway University
Presented Planetary Health and Connected Ecosystems: Educating Students on Ridge-to-Reef Relationships and Community Livelihoods, focusing on ecosystem interdependence through the Ridge-to-Reef approach. He emphasized nature-based solutions, biodiversity conservation, and the importance of community engagement in sustaining both environmental and human health .
Day 1 highlighted a key message: understanding systems and interconnectedness is essential in addressing environmental challenges and advancing sustainable development.
Stay tuned as the SustainEd Lecture Series continues to explore Impacts and Solutions in the next sessions!
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