By Princes Elaine Y. Espongja, BA ELS-4, OJT

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Regional Office VI conducted a webinar on the topic “Internationalization of Philippine Higher Education: Overcoming Challenges and Optimizing Opportunities” on April 5, 2022.

One of the invited resource speakers is Engr. Dimpna C. Castigador, Director, Office of Institutional Advancement of Central Philippine University, alongside with Atty. Lily Freida M. Milla CESO IV, OIC, Deputy Executive Director IV, Director III, International Affairs Staff (CHED-IAS).

In her message, Engr. Castigador shared the journey of CPU towards ensuring a spot in the QS Best Universities in Asia for 2022. From the recent ranking by the QS University Rankings for Asia, CPU ranked 651+ among all other prestigious universities in Asia.

On Engr. Castigador’s presentation, she explained the importance of the QS Quacquarelli Symonds Survey for Universities. It is the world’s leading provider of services, analytics, and insight to the global higher education sector, whose mission is to enable motivated people anywhere in the world to fulfill their potential through educational achievement, international mobility, and career development.

Her presentation were divided into three parts: Vision, Mission, and Quality Policy of CPU; Internationalization; Participation in QS University Rankings.

“We recognized that internationalization even Qs participation would not be possible without the alumni’s support, to CHED, partner schools, to employers of graduates, and to those who participated in the surveys and for all the feedback they continue to the university, by God’s grace we could be doing more for His glory…”, Engr. Castigador’s last statement.

On the other hand, the aims of the webinar are to re-orient CHED’s higher education internationalization policy; guide HEIs in their internationalization efforts; explain strategies that uphold internationalization initiatives; and, share best practices to improve HEIs’ internationalization programs and practices.

Dr. Teodoro C. Robles, University president, and Prof. Leilani Fatimah Ledesma Trompeta, Office of International Relations and Cooperation Director were also present to help answer questions during the open forum at the end of the webinar.