CENTURIES ago, the original Hanseatic League transcended borders to forge alliances rooted in trade, trust and forward-thinking collaboration.
Inspired by this, Hanseatic League of Universities (HLU) was born as a global alliance committed to academic excellence, international collaboration and purposeful innovation.
In 2025, education leaders are rekindling that visionary spirit — this time through a global network of universities, united by the pursuit of knowledge, innovation and mutual growth. The 5th Annual HLU Conference was held in the radiant city of Dumaguete — celebrated for its intellectual legacy and the tranquil charm that has earned the name “City of Gentle People.” The conference theme was “Breaking Barriers, Empowering Change,” as they navigate complex global challenges — from the climate crisis to technological upheaval as educators, researchers and change-makers called not only to adapt, but to lead. These were the words of Noel Marjon Yasi, incoming HLU president and president of Negros Oriental State University (Norsu).
Along with Norsu president Yasi was former Norsu president Joel Limson and other education leaders of the Negros Island Region, namely Sr. Mila Grace Silab, SPC (president of St. Paul University Dumaguete); Betty Cernol-McCann (president of Silliman University); and Steven Jay Sumaylo, president of Siquijor State College. They hosted and gathered to ignite bold conversations, forge lasting collaborations and inspire action across institutions and disciplines. They took pride in the region to delegates — mostly presidents of various higher education institutions, administrators, scholars, innovators, partners in global education.
The Hanseatic world in one roof
The distinguished members of the HLU board of directors was represented by professor Dong Sung Cho, honorary president of HLU and professor emeritus of Seoul National University; Samuel Martin Barbero, outgoing HLU president and president of Franklin University; former higher education commissioner Aldrin Darilag; president Jin Sook Kim, chairperson of WURI Global Conference 2024; president Kyung-Sung Kim, the chairman of WURI 2025, among others, were present.
Together, leaders and delegates aim to reimagine education’s possibilities — delving into themes such as cross-border research, student mobility and the evolving influence of technology in crafting inclusive and accessible learning environments.
Plenary speakers were Carl Balita, and UP professor Dina Joana Ocampo, former undersecretary of the Department of Education.
Call to action
HLU director Darilag laid the foundation for action in his message. He challenged that universities cannot — and must not — retreat into silence or tradition. He emphasized that the role of education is not simply to reflect society, but to reshape it; break barriers by challenging outdated systems; redefine excellence to include inclusion; decolonize knowledge, democratize opportunity and embrace diversity. All these must not remain as a slogan, but as a standard. Indeed, the real walls are not built from brick, but from indifference, inequality and intellectual complacency.
He prescribes that empowering change begins with empowering people — learners, faculty, communities — by equipping them not just with skills, but with purpose, perspective and power. Warns that it is not enough to innovate for innovation’s sake. Education must innovate with integrity; must champion research that solves real-world problems; must lead in sustainability, digital equity, lifelong learning and social impact — not only in our own institutions, but across borders and disciplines for futures that are just, inclusive and resilient.
New model of global higher education
The conference echoes new models of global higher education as one that transcends geopolitical divides, champions co-creation over competition and one that centers human flourishing at the heart of academic progress. Darilag optimizes that through shared research initiatives, student mobility, digital transformation and policy influence, Higher education is not just imagining change — they are engineering it. It must build a global academic community where innovation thrives, truth matters and no one is left behind.
Harmonizing educational outcomes in disruptive digital era
I was privileged to take center stage for the topic which I proposed to be most worthwhile. I stood not only as an educator and education leader who is one with them. I was there as a business leader, a member of the board of directors of the Philippine Franchise Association and chairman emeritus of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Quezon City — a business leader concerned about the competencies that education is developing among the future people of the world of work.
The emergence of the new intelligence — digital intelligence (DQ) — which is appropriately aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. DQ is defined as a comprehensive set of technical, cognitive, meta-cognitive and socioemotional competencies grounded in universal moral values that enable individuals to face the challenges of digital life and adapt to its demands. DQ guarantees the individuals equipped with DQ become wise, competent and future-ready digital citizens who successfully use, control and create technology to enhance humanity.
I presented the triangulated future competencies curated from the data of the World Economic Forum, MacKinsey Co. and LinkedIn. The collection of the competencies of the future from these data incited the challenge to higher education to ensure that products of the educational system not only learn to know, to do, to be, to live together and to change, but also to learn — relearn and unlearn.
The presentation ended with the focus on the core strength of humanity for humanized creativity, loving empathy and universal stewardship toward a new collective and moral consciousness based on a shared sense of destiny.
Lifelong learning ecosystem
Dina Joana Ocampo presented a research output with lawyer Adrian Cristobal and Kaye Sandigan, which analyzed change drivers, outlook and innovation. She also presented challenges to education, mindsets and education governance, and prescribed ways forward.
The global drivers of change were cited as demographics, climate change, technology, geopolitics, and trade and investments.
The philosophy of lifelong learning must recognize learning as a continuum and not confined to a particular period in life nor the school system but takes place everywhere at any stage of life. It encompasses all models of education and all types of systematic educational activities.
The study noted that early childhood programs do not start from birth, and programs are no longer reported available after the mid-20s age bracket. Philippine programs are not shown to be lifelong. Adult education programs seem to be “catch-up” such as Alternative Learning System (ALS), or Techvoc in ALS. The doctorate program, like PhD, appears to be a penultimate program. Adult continuing learning/education programs do not seem to exist on a national scale.
The HLU is not just a network. It is a movement. Rooted in the historical spirit of trade, exchange and cooperation, the world now trades not in goods — but in ideas. Humanity exchanges not merely services — but solidarity.
Indeed, as Helen Keller said, “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.”
-END-
SOURCE: The Manila Times
Inspired by this, Hanseatic League of Universities (HLU) was born as a global alliance committed to academic excellence, international collaboration and purposeful innovation.
In 2025, education leaders are rekindling that visionary spirit — this time through a global network of universities, united by the pursuit of knowledge, innovation and mutual growth. The 5th Annual HLU Conference was held in the radiant city of Dumaguete — celebrated for its intellectual legacy and the tranquil charm that has earned the name “City of Gentle People.” The conference theme was “Breaking Barriers, Empowering Change,” as they navigate complex global challenges — from the climate crisis to technological upheaval as educators, researchers and change-makers called not only to adapt, but to lead. These were the words of Noel Marjon Yasi, incoming HLU president and president of Negros Oriental State University (Norsu).
Along with Norsu president Yasi was former Norsu president Joel Limson and other education leaders of the Negros Island Region, namely Sr. Mila Grace Silab, SPC (president of St. Paul University Dumaguete); Betty Cernol-McCann (president of Silliman University); and Steven Jay Sumaylo, president of Siquijor State College. They hosted and gathered to ignite bold conversations, forge lasting collaborations and inspire action across institutions and disciplines. They took pride in the region to delegates — mostly presidents of various higher education institutions, administrators, scholars, innovators, partners in global education.
The Hanseatic world in one roof
The distinguished members of the HLU board of directors was represented by professor Dong Sung Cho, honorary president of HLU and professor emeritus of Seoul National University; Samuel Martin Barbero, outgoing HLU president and president of Franklin University; former higher education commissioner Aldrin Darilag; president Jin Sook Kim, chairperson of WURI Global Conference 2024; president Kyung-Sung Kim, the chairman of WURI 2025, among others, were present.
Together, leaders and delegates aim to reimagine education’s possibilities — delving into themes such as cross-border research, student mobility and the evolving influence of technology in crafting inclusive and accessible learning environments.
Plenary speakers were Carl Balita, and UP professor Dina Joana Ocampo, former undersecretary of the Department of Education.
Call to action
HLU director Darilag laid the foundation for action in his message. He challenged that universities cannot — and must not — retreat into silence or tradition. He emphasized that the role of education is not simply to reflect society, but to reshape it; break barriers by challenging outdated systems; redefine excellence to include inclusion; decolonize knowledge, democratize opportunity and embrace diversity. All these must not remain as a slogan, but as a standard. Indeed, the real walls are not built from brick, but from indifference, inequality and intellectual complacency.
He prescribes that empowering change begins with empowering people — learners, faculty, communities — by equipping them not just with skills, but with purpose, perspective and power. Warns that it is not enough to innovate for innovation’s sake. Education must innovate with integrity; must champion research that solves real-world problems; must lead in sustainability, digital equity, lifelong learning and social impact — not only in our own institutions, but across borders and disciplines for futures that are just, inclusive and resilient.
New model of global higher education
The conference echoes new models of global higher education as one that transcends geopolitical divides, champions co-creation over competition and one that centers human flourishing at the heart of academic progress. Darilag optimizes that through shared research initiatives, student mobility, digital transformation and policy influence, Higher education is not just imagining change — they are engineering it. It must build a global academic community where innovation thrives, truth matters and no one is left behind.
Harmonizing educational outcomes in disruptive digital era
I was privileged to take center stage for the topic which I proposed to be most worthwhile. I stood not only as an educator and education leader who is one with them. I was there as a business leader, a member of the board of directors of the Philippine Franchise Association and chairman emeritus of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Quezon City — a business leader concerned about the competencies that education is developing among the future people of the world of work.
The emergence of the new intelligence — digital intelligence (DQ) — which is appropriately aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. DQ is defined as a comprehensive set of technical, cognitive, meta-cognitive and socioemotional competencies grounded in universal moral values that enable individuals to face the challenges of digital life and adapt to its demands. DQ guarantees the individuals equipped with DQ become wise, competent and future-ready digital citizens who successfully use, control and create technology to enhance humanity.
I presented the triangulated future competencies curated from the data of the World Economic Forum, MacKinsey Co. and LinkedIn. The collection of the competencies of the future from these data incited the challenge to higher education to ensure that products of the educational system not only learn to know, to do, to be, to live together and to change, but also to learn — relearn and unlearn.
The presentation ended with the focus on the core strength of humanity for humanized creativity, loving empathy and universal stewardship toward a new collective and moral consciousness based on a shared sense of destiny.
Lifelong learning ecosystem
Dina Joana Ocampo presented a research output with lawyer Adrian Cristobal and Kaye Sandigan, which analyzed change drivers, outlook and innovation. She also presented challenges to education, mindsets and education governance, and prescribed ways forward.
The global drivers of change were cited as demographics, climate change, technology, geopolitics, and trade and investments.
The philosophy of lifelong learning must recognize learning as a continuum and not confined to a particular period in life nor the school system but takes place everywhere at any stage of life. It encompasses all models of education and all types of systematic educational activities.
The study noted that early childhood programs do not start from birth, and programs are no longer reported available after the mid-20s age bracket. Philippine programs are not shown to be lifelong. Adult education programs seem to be “catch-up” such as Alternative Learning System (ALS), or Techvoc in ALS. The doctorate program, like PhD, appears to be a penultimate program. Adult continuing learning/education programs do not seem to exist on a national scale.
The HLU is not just a network. It is a movement. Rooted in the historical spirit of trade, exchange and cooperation, the world now trades not in goods — but in ideas. Humanity exchanges not merely services — but solidarity.
Indeed, as Helen Keller said, “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much.”
-END-
SOURCE: The Manila Times