By Mikee Natinga Norico
Representatives from various units and departments across the University pose for a group photo after the review meeting on the CPU KapitBayan Awards (CKBA) and the World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) held at the Educational Media Center Conference Room on August 30, 2025.
On August 30, 2025, the Central Philippine University (CPU) Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) conducted a review meeting on the CPU KapitBayan Awards (CKBA) and the World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) at the Educational Media Center (EMC) Conference Room. The activity gathered representatives from various units and departments across the University to review updates, discuss new guidelines, and strengthen preparations for the upcoming CKBA and WURI submissions.
The meeting began with a prayer led by Atty. Nestle G. Taala, Student Recruitment Officer, followed by a comprehensive discussion by Dr. Dimpna C. Castigador, Director of the OIA. Dr. Castigador revisited the highlights of the August 27 orientation, emphasizing four main objectives: to briefly review the previous orientation materials, explain the updated list of WURI categories, go over the revised application forms, and identify the necessary support for participating units.
In her presentation, Dr. Castigador reiterated the objectives of the CPU KapitBayan Awards, which aim to encourage creative problem-solving, innovation, and partnerships across disciplines; highlight projects that demonstrate tangible societal, economic, or environmental benefits aligned with WURI’s criteria; recognize innovations that reflect CPU’s mission and vision while inspiring others toward meaningful initiatives; showcase CPU’s dedication to innovation and community impact, potentially improving its local and international standing; and identify and scale up successful innovations that advance the University’s goals.
Dr. Castigador also underscored CPU’s active role in contributing to the Philippine Development Plan, which seeks to increase the number of higher education institutions recognized in international rankings such as QS, Times Higher Education, and WURI. She noted that CPU first joined WURI in 2024, showcasing its innovative and community-based programs. To sustain this momentum, the KapitBayan Awards were launched to encourage faculty and staff to develop initiatives with significant societal, economic, and environmental impact.
“Participating in the CKBA and WURI enables CPU to enhance its international visibility, strengthen its autonomous status, elevate its global ranking, and fulfill its mission as a Christian institution—serving as a light in education, innovation, and service,” said Dr. Castigador.
After her presentation, participants were given time to raise questions and clarifications regarding the updated guidelines. Dr. Castigador encouraged participants to draft their entries using the CPU KapitBayan forms available in the CPU Forms folder on the official CPU webpage under the Office of Institutional Advancement.
The meeting concluded with closing remarks from Dr. Aries Roda D. Romallosa, Acting Vice President for Research, Development, and Extension, who commended the participants for their active involvement and emphasized the importance of innovation and collaboration in advancing CPU’s mission of excellence and service.
As announced during the meeting, the deadline for submission of CKBA entries is November 18, 2025. The judging panel for CKBA will be designated by the University President, with prizes including certificates for CKBA winners and certificates plus a cash prize for each ranked WURI entry. Both CKBA and WURI share similar evaluation criteria centered on innovation, impact, and societal relevance.
Dr. Castigador also presented the WURI 2026 timeline, which includes the following key dates:
- Official Launch: October 10, 2025
- WURI Webinar: November 5, 2025
- Application Deadline: December 5, 2025
- 1st Peer Evaluation: February 15, 2026
- 2nd Expert Judgment: March 15, 2026
- WURI Ranking Announcement: May 6–8, 2026, during the HLU Annual Conference at National Chi-Nan University, Taiwan
Through this initiative, CPU continues to uphold its commitment to innovation and excellence—empowering Centralians to develop projects that not only strengthen the University’s global standing but also embody its enduring mission of faith, service, and transformative education.
For more details on the World University Rankings for Innovation, visit the official website: https://www.wuri.world. To learn more about CPU’s latest achievement in the WURI 2025 Rankings, visit: https://cpu.edu.ph/news/central-philippine-university-makes-historic-debut-in-wuri-2025-rankings
Read more about the August 27, 2025 orientation here: https://cpu.edu.ph/news/cpu-oia-holds-orientation-on-cpu-kapitbayan-awards-ckba-and-wuri-rankings/