College of Social Sciences: SDGs 4, 10, 17
Northern Thailand XLC
The Xavier Learning Community (XLC) was officially inaugurated on August 19, 2017, and is situated in Tambon Tha Khao Plueak of Amphoe Maechan, located eight kilometers away from the Golden Triangle, where the borders of Thailand, Myanmar and Laos meet. Fr. Sugiyo Pitoyo SJ, Regional Superior of the Jesuits in Thailand, stated in an interview at the inauguration that the XLC admits impoverished youths of minority groups in the area, and provides them with educational resources (tertiary); without education, the boys would likely grow up to live a life of poverty in the mountains, whereas the girls might have to become sex workers in Bangkok. The Xavier Learning Community is in its early stages, and FJCU hopes that this collaborative project can supplement resources in Chinese language education in the region, and foster a long-lasting partnership.


Related practical events:
* FJCU works together with international partners to collate information on SDGs
* By collaborating with the Society of Jesus in Banteay Meanchey, Cambodia, FJCU learned that there is a lack of teachers in the area, and decided to provide resources and training
* By collaborating with NGO Philippine Philanthropic Fund, FJCU learned that enrolment was less than 50% in elementary schools in the Philippines, and decided to help provide education to children living in dense urban areas marked by poverty
* By collaborating with Xavier Learning Community, FJCU learned that impoverished youths in northern Thailand lack access to tertiary education, and decided to provide aid to local efforts in offering Chinese language classes
* By working with Father Vinai of Huilong Chinese School in northern Thailand, FJCU learned that communities in the region are challenged on three fronts due to historical factors: social issues, a lack of teachers, and lack of education
* FJCU collaborated with the Department of Biology of the University of San Carlos to improve the productivity of livestock
* FJCU collaborated with University of Leuven to hold seminars for cultural exchange
* FJCU collaborates with domestic and international agencies in an effort to enable the sharing of medical knowledge across languages
* FJCU collaborates with the New Sorbonne University on intercultural exchange between two cities