What is UNIV and USAP?

UNIV Congress is an annual international university congress that takes place in Rome during
Holy Week. Each year a relevant aspect of our culture is chosen as the theme of the congress.
Young people can study and reflect upon the theme of UNIV, with the purpose of suggesting
forward-thinking solutions that are shared with the rest of the participants. The UNIV Congress
is part of a workshop that includes other activities such as: an audience with the Pope,
international get-togethers, social projects, cultural and historical tours of the Eternal City.
The UNIV is organized by the Istituto per la Cooperazione Universitaria (ICU), an Italian NGO.
To reach female students in the Philippines, ICU has chosen as local partners the University
and Study Centers operated by KALFI. You can find out more about UNIV through
http://www.univcongress.info/en/ and univ.ph
UNIV Seminar Asia-Pacific (USAP) is an international gathering of university students in the
Asia-Pacific region. It is parallel to the UNIV Rome Easter Seminar. On Holy Week 2019, it will
be in BACOLOD CITY.
Who can join UNIV-USAP?
Female university and senior high school students can join UNIV. Individuals or groups formed
by students from various universities and/or year levels are encouraged. An adviser will be
assigned by the UNIV Coordinators to guide students through the process.
How to be part of UNIV-USAP:
1) Submit a paper, produce a video, or document a social project.
2) Submit to a panel.
3) Based on the recommendations of the panel, output this year may be selected for:
 Presentation in UNIV Philippines Final Congress in the University of Asia and the
Pacific in Ortigas Pasig.
 Presentation in UNIV Seminar Asia Pacific (USAP) in Bacolod
 Submission to the ICU organizing committee for possible presentation in the
UNIV Congress in Rome.
Participants are expected to:
1) Submit an abstract proposal.
2) Participate in workshops and talks organized by the coordinating centers to help refine
the submissions.
3) Submit output following project guidelines and style guides (first screening).
4) Present submission in an oral screening (second screening) in the final congress.
Instructions for Abstract Submission
Female university and senior high school students may submit abstracts for proposed papers or
videos focusing on the Congress theme. Abstracts on proposed papers about social projects
may also be submitted. Submissions may be made individually or as a group. If submission is
by a group, the group should be composed of college students, or a mix of college and SHS
students, with college consisting the majority. The maximum number of members per group is 5.
The submission should contain the following: title of proposed paper; name (s) of the author (s);
year level, degree program, college/university; name of adviser; contact details of the author (s)
and adviser. The abstract should not exceed 500 words and should contain the main idea that
the paper will deal with and the objectives that it seeks to achieve. Abstracts should be
submitted through https://www.univ.ph/univ-philippines-2019/submit-an-entry

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 IMPORTANT DATES

IMPORTANT DATES
Date Activity/Task
2018
September 13 Deadline of Abstract Proposals: Please submit through
(Wednesday) https://www.univ.ph/univ-philippines-2019/submit-an-entry.
October 6 Notification of Accepted Abstracts
(Saturday)
December 29 Deadline of Final Entries
(Saturday)
2019
March 9 2019 UNIV Philippines Final Congress
(Saturday) In the University of Asia and the Pacific
Ortigas, Pasig
April 14 – 21 UNIV Easter Seminar in Rome, Italy
(Holy Week)
April 17 – 21 UNIV Seminar Asia-Pacific (USAP)
(Holy Week) Bacolod City

TOPIC 2019: GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS: THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF WORK

Did you ever think about the fact that only humans have hands? It may seem obvious, but it’s
not. In the world of nature, we humans are uniquely vulnerable: wings, paws or flippers get you
around a lot faster and farther; fur and feathers provide protection from the elements; refined
senses, instincts, and defense mechanisms automatically kick in to ward off dangers and detect
opportunities for growth.
But our vulnerability is at the same time our strength.
With our hands, we can build wings to fly.
With our hands, we can design our own habitat and weave our own wear.
With our hands, we can provide care, establish relations, protect ourselves and others.
Our hands are instruments open to infinite possibilities.
With our hands, we humanize the world.
Our basic needs become arts and professions: Medicine, Gastronomy, Architecture, Fashion,
Communication, Education, Domestic Work, Design;
Our interdependence creates employment opportunities: Commerce, Health Care, Politics, Law,
Economy, Business, International Affairs;
Our openness to infinite possibilities drives work forward: Technology, Entertainment,
Innovation, Research, Creativity.
With our hands, we work. But have we always worked in the same way? Today the world of
work is undergoing arguably the most drastic transformation since the Industrial Revolution in
the 19th Century. Information technology, shifting social demographics and globalization are
some of the factors that are shaping the ambiguous future of work, in which one-track careers
are being replaced by multi-faceted professional trajectories, and personal capacities and
aptitudes such as critical thinking, resilience, problem-solving and decision-making are
increasingly valued over technical know-how.
The world of work in the 21st century is full of challenges: vast geographic and social
inequalities, corruption, inefficient structures, forced labor, unrecognized and uncompensated
work, human trafficking, unregulated activity in emerging sectors and high levels of youth
unemployment…
So let’s get down to business. The 21st century professional is serious, dedicated, diligent,
creative, transformational, focused, capable of persevering in an integrated cognitive and

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physical effort. What kind of personal development does a professional in today’s workforce
need in order to convert needs into opportunities and vulnerabilities into strengths? How does
one´s profession become an authentic service to society and the individuals who surround us?
What can your hands do that a robotic arm cannot? What can you contribute that lies beyond
the scope of artificial intelligence? The challenges are many… but our hands are open to infinite
possibilities…

General Topics
Work Life Balance: work and rest, balance between work and personal, social and family life,
avoiding burnout, workaholics. Having one job versus many in one’s lifetime. Does work define
who I am?
Man or Machine: keeping work human even when it is highly automated, manual versus
intellectual work, importance of working with one’s hands, human limitations versus work
perfection, transhumanism.
Anthropology and Work Ethics: maturing through life and work, developing virtues through
one’s work, self-fulfillment in work, enjoying one’s work, following one’s passion versus
choosing a job that is more practical, developing a specialized and practical talent, working for
economic sustainment or for personal goals, working as an integrated human being (with
reason, will, and affectivity). The importance of thinking before doing in work: having a reason
behind what you are doing, the ability to concentrate intensely when working. Loyalty towards
one’s company/employer, ethical decision-making at work.
Work and Culture: view of work and human fulfillment in different cultures, work and
empowerment, a culture where the attitude towards work is “getting it done”. Globalization and
its impact on the world of work. New work spaces in the 21st century, entrepreneurship and
startup companies, self-employment, working from home (telecommuting), full-time versus part-
time work, flexible or rigid work schedules, early age of retirement, what awaits me after I retire
from a lifetime of work?, concept of “work culture” or “office culture”.
Work Relationships: multidisciplinary teamwork, challenges of teamwork, human ecology and
inclusion, intergenerational relationships at the workplace, good work leadership, the role of
family relations and dynamics in family business, networking.
Professional Development: continual formation in one’s profession, keeping up-to-date with
new advances.
Work and Gender: the incorporation of more women into work, gender-specific contributions to
the world of work, gender equality at work and career advancement.
Unemployment: Consequences of unemployment especially in youth and the newly graduated,
student work practices and training internships: uses and abuses, collaboration between
companies and universities. The effect of technology on available jobs.
Transcendent Dimension of Work: sanctification of work, work as service, work that
constructs society and the world, finding greater meaning in one’s work, work and spirituality,
work and meditation.
Humanities: Sociology, History and Literature
Types of work: prestige and social value, geographical diversity. Are careers in theatre, poetry,
painting and the work of the home considered professional work just like other jobs?
The evolution of work: vision of work throughout history, the Protestant Reformation and the
role of work.
Work and human creativity: work that promotes innovation and individuality, technique versus
art.

Communication
Methods of Communication: What and how do I communicate when we are bombarded with
an excess of information? What are my criteria to integrate or share information?
Personal Privacy: publication of personal information on the internet, safety of our personal
data and big data management, social networks, cyber attacks.

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Personal Reflection: the influence of everything I read and share, deeper reflections about
events and people on the news, forming one’s personal opinion about events and information
published on the internet, the role of communicators in educating the public.
Journalism: the challenges of journalists in the digital era, the ethical norms of journalism, “fake
news”, superficial or sensational news that attracts public attention,  the influence of consumers
on media content, the influence of journalists on other professionals due to their role in the
public sphere.
Cinema: How do films present the work world? Has the seventh art influenced any social or
cultural change in the way men approach professional work? Can artistic works – cinema,
poetry, painting – contribute to offer a vision of the purpose and power of work?

Economics, Law and Politics

Working for a healthy economy: economic crisis in the past decades, the role of unions, work
strikes. Rethinking the role of competition in the economy, what does an inclusive economy look
like?
Social responsibility and sustainability: working for profit, non-profit organizations, or civil
service, work and poverty, skills-training programs in economically developing environments,
organizing work to help the growth of a developing country, employing immigrants and
foreigners, volunteering. 2030 Sustainable Development Goals with work as the axes.
Politics: the work of government, the role of good leadership in society, the common good as
the end of the polis, social security systems and unemployment.
Visions of Work: capitalism versus marxism, free market, globalization of work: how to work in
a world without borders? Efficient workmanship, productivity, innovation, knowledge sharing,
global village, balancing structural and personal elements in the workplace.
Labor Law: work as a fundamental right and as a constitutional duty, work conditions and
terms, work safety, sufficient training, minimum wage.

Medicine, Health and Sciences 

Work and Health: intense work and healthy living, public health issues, aging populations.
Medicine: machines replacing the human touch in health management, patient privacy and
respect, electronic records and ownership, self-diagnosis on the internet, medical
hyperspecialization.
Engineering, Technology and Environment 
Service: transportation, communication, energy, resource and time management, social
networks.
Artificial Intelligence: new tools and technologies that facilitate the organization of work,
robots and the future of work: the fourth industrial revolution, work performed by machines: 3D
printers, drones, etc.
New trends in Agriculture/Environment: green revolution, climate change, waste
management, sustainable development, water, food and clothing security, emissions, efficiency,
evolution, mechanization and automation.
Psychology and Education
Importance of education: the most important profession in the world: the inspiring teacher.
The task of educating, beyond teaching. To help each one reach their potential, promoting
strengths instead of improving weaknesses, the transformative power of education for the
development of a country, challenges of inclusive education, analysis of success cases in
education.
Transforming education: adapting to new methodologies and pedagogical changes, the
transmission of content to life skills training, does technology help or distract students when
studying or in class? University and work: are universities adapting to the labor market? What
should the university contribute to the labor market? Educating professional ethics.