Third of a series
THIS is the third in a series of higher education institutions that celebrate their extraordinary achievements in their own special ways. They may not have the spotlight in the national scenes, but they are nevertheless nests of excellence.
Champion of innovation in Eastern Visayas
In the heart of the Samar province, the Samar State University (SSU) lies as the driving force of innovative landscape in the Philippines’ eighth region. With a firm commitment to research-based solutions, sustainable development and inclusive community engagement, SSU emerges as a model of how universities in the countryside can drive innovation from the grassroots through harnessing local knowledge, academic excellence and inclusive partnerships.
At SSU, innovation is not just a buzzword — it is a deeply embedded institutional culture. The university’s flagship innovation programs are guided by a clear mission: to align research and development initiatives with the pressing needs of the local communities.
SSU president Dr. Redentor Palencia emphasizes that SSU’s approach to innovation is grounded in relevance and impact: “We innovate to solve problems and empower communities.”
SSU has distinguished itself in the World Universities with Real Impact (WURI) as the top-ranked in the world along the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
SSU continues to rank prominently in WURI’s 2023, 2024 and 2025 editions in the industrial application, social responsibility, ethics and integrity, crisis management and value creation categories — highlighting SSU’s agile application of digital solutions in industrial contexts while showcasing adaptability and resilience.
SSU has made significant strides in establishing state-of-the-art laboratories and innovation infrastructure, through its Research and Innovation Center (RIC), which houses at least seven facilities, including the Pharmacology; Molecular, Microbial and HABs; and Biochemistry Laboratories.
Recently, significant upgrades include modern food technology labs, electromechanical and medical laboratories, and IT training facilities aimed at enhancing engineering, health sciences and virtual learning capabilities, aligned with SSU’s vision to build a smart campus supporting cross-disciplinary research, experiential learning and community-oriented innovation.
SSU achieved the Platinum Award from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (Ipophl) in 2020 and maintained this accolade for four consecutive years through 2023.
In 2022, SSU was the sole HEI to receive Ipophl’s Gawad Yamang Isip Award for its contributions to the improvement of Filipinos’ quality of life through intellectual property.
The vision is clear: SSU seeks to be an innovation corridor, a center of global education, and in the forefront of social transformation in the Asean region.
University for quality citizens
Quezon City University (QCU), the only local university in the Philippines’ largest city, continues to emerge as a leading institution in higher education. Backed by the leadership of its chairman of the board of regents, Quezon City Mayor Ma. Josefina Belmonte, and its first elected president, Dr. Theresita Atienza, QCU is committed to producing quality citizens.
Founded in 1994 as the Quezon City Polytechnic University and granted university status in 2019, QCU has evolved from a skills-based institution to a comprehensive university that provides quality tertiary education tailored to labor market demands. With three campuses strategically located in San Bartolome, San Francisco and Batasan Hills, QCU serves almost 11,000 students from marginalized socioeconomic backgrounds in Quezon City and neighboring areas.
QCU’s institutional vision is deeply embedded in its employability agenda — it restructured its curriculum and support systems to meet the expectations of a fast-changing workforce.
From outcomes-based education, enhanced industry-academe partnerships and career development programs, to internship-to-employment pipelines, the university ensures that every graduate has both knowledge and workplace competence.
Equally important is the university’s role in inclusive and community-based education. QCU offers BS Entrepreneurship for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) of the Quezon City Jail and soon at the Molave Youth Home for Children-in-Conflict-with-the-Law.
QCU has built a strong international reputation and is ranked 1500+ in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, aligning its efforts with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
On resiliency, the university has established flexible learning systems, capacitated its faculty, and ensured student welfare remains at the center of its operations.
Innovativeness is central to QCU’s growing recognition. Team 1QCU Robotics made headlines for representing the Philippines at the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas, a major milestone for a local university. QCU also maintains strong ties with various international and local organizations to produce quality and innovative research projects.
Stewardship shapes QCU’s approach to sustainability and community engagement. Through partnerships, the university has developed executive courses for barangay leaders and programs supporting out-of-school youth — manifesting its role as a steward of societal well-being.
Lastly, equity is at the heart of QCU’s mission; with three strategically located campuses, QCU continues to expand its reach. The QC LGU also provides financial aid programs, scholarship grants and targeted support systems with the belief that education must be a right, not a privilege.
QCU is moving beyond graduation rates — it is now defining graduate success. Quezon City University is no longer just a local university — it is a leading institution joyfully shaping employable, socially committed and globally prepared graduates.
Local and proud
In the heart of Opol, Misamis Oriental, proudly stands the Opol Community College (OCC) — a local institution born from the community’s vision to make higher education accessible, affordable and life-changing.
The OCC was formally established through Sangguniang Bayan Resolution 2003-155 and Ordinance 2003-14, in consortium with Bukidnon State University, and approved on Aug. 12, 2003. It answered the constitutional mandate to make quality education available to all Filipinos.
The college opened with two degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Business Administration, enrolling just over 80 pioneering students from both coastal and hinterland barangay.
Today, OCC has grown to offer five academic programs.
Opol Community College has consistently posted passing rates above the national average for both its Elementary and Secondary Education programs, reinforcing its reputation for quality teacher education. In September 2018, OCC achieved a historic milestone when it produced its first Licensure Examination for Teachers topnotcher, who placed 2nd out of over 90,000 examinees in the elementary level — marking OCC’s rise as a serious player in the field of education.
As a local government-owned institution, OCC supports the municipality’s development goals — not only by producing a homegrown, skilled workforce but also through extension programs such as literacy programs conducted in partnership with midland and upland barangay, which provides targeted support for early-grade learners who need additional help in building foundational reading skills.
Education students and faculty play a key role in this community-based effort to promote literacy and learning continuity.
The Opol Community College Alumni Association spearheaded the formation of the municipality’s first-ever Barangay Education Council that fosters collaboration across the entire learning continuum — from early childhood to higher education — anchored in local leadership and shared community goals.
Despite limited resources, OCC thrives through the commitment of its faculty, the leadership of its alumni and the trust of the community it serves. It remains deeply rooted in its founding purpose: to uplift Opolanons through relevant, inclusive and community-driven education.
Cheers to these institutions! They deserve all the recognition as they bridge the future generation of leaders.
-END-
SOURCE: The Manila Times
THIS is the third in a series of higher education institutions that celebrate their extraordinary achievements in their own special ways. They may not have the spotlight in the national scenes, but they are nevertheless nests of excellence.
Champion of innovation in Eastern Visayas
In the heart of the Samar province, the Samar State University (SSU) lies as the driving force of innovative landscape in the Philippines’ eighth region. With a firm commitment to research-based solutions, sustainable development and inclusive community engagement, SSU emerges as a model of how universities in the countryside can drive innovation from the grassroots through harnessing local knowledge, academic excellence and inclusive partnerships.
At SSU, innovation is not just a buzzword — it is a deeply embedded institutional culture. The university’s flagship innovation programs are guided by a clear mission: to align research and development initiatives with the pressing needs of the local communities.
SSU president Dr. Redentor Palencia emphasizes that SSU’s approach to innovation is grounded in relevance and impact: “We innovate to solve problems and empower communities.”
SSU has distinguished itself in the World Universities with Real Impact (WURI) as the top-ranked in the world along the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
SSU continues to rank prominently in WURI’s 2023, 2024 and 2025 editions in the industrial application, social responsibility, ethics and integrity, crisis management and value creation categories — highlighting SSU’s agile application of digital solutions in industrial contexts while showcasing adaptability and resilience.
SSU has made significant strides in establishing state-of-the-art laboratories and innovation infrastructure, through its Research and Innovation Center (RIC), which houses at least seven facilities, including the Pharmacology; Molecular, Microbial and HABs; and Biochemistry Laboratories.
Recently, significant upgrades include modern food technology labs, electromechanical and medical laboratories, and IT training facilities aimed at enhancing engineering, health sciences and virtual learning capabilities, aligned with SSU’s vision to build a smart campus supporting cross-disciplinary research, experiential learning and community-oriented innovation.
SSU achieved the Platinum Award from the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (Ipophl) in 2020 and maintained this accolade for four consecutive years through 2023.
In 2022, SSU was the sole HEI to receive Ipophl’s Gawad Yamang Isip Award for its contributions to the improvement of Filipinos’ quality of life through intellectual property.
The vision is clear: SSU seeks to be an innovation corridor, a center of global education, and in the forefront of social transformation in the Asean region.
University for quality citizens
Quezon City University (QCU), the only local university in the Philippines’ largest city, continues to emerge as a leading institution in higher education. Backed by the leadership of its chairman of the board of regents, Quezon City Mayor Ma. Josefina Belmonte, and its first elected president, Dr. Theresita Atienza, QCU is committed to producing quality citizens.
Founded in 1994 as the Quezon City Polytechnic University and granted university status in 2019, QCU has evolved from a skills-based institution to a comprehensive university that provides quality tertiary education tailored to labor market demands. With three campuses strategically located in San Bartolome, San Francisco and Batasan Hills, QCU serves almost 11,000 students from marginalized socioeconomic backgrounds in Quezon City and neighboring areas.
QCU’s institutional vision is deeply embedded in its employability agenda — it restructured its curriculum and support systems to meet the expectations of a fast-changing workforce.
From outcomes-based education, enhanced industry-academe partnerships and career development programs, to internship-to-employment pipelines, the university ensures that every graduate has both knowledge and workplace competence.
Equally important is the university’s role in inclusive and community-based education. QCU offers BS Entrepreneurship for persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) of the Quezon City Jail and soon at the Molave Youth Home for Children-in-Conflict-with-the-Law.
QCU has built a strong international reputation and is ranked 1500+ in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, aligning its efforts with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
On resiliency, the university has established flexible learning systems, capacitated its faculty, and ensured student welfare remains at the center of its operations.
Innovativeness is central to QCU’s growing recognition. Team 1QCU Robotics made headlines for representing the Philippines at the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas, a major milestone for a local university. QCU also maintains strong ties with various international and local organizations to produce quality and innovative research projects.
Stewardship shapes QCU’s approach to sustainability and community engagement. Through partnerships, the university has developed executive courses for barangay leaders and programs supporting out-of-school youth — manifesting its role as a steward of societal well-being.
Lastly, equity is at the heart of QCU’s mission; with three strategically located campuses, QCU continues to expand its reach. The QC LGU also provides financial aid programs, scholarship grants and targeted support systems with the belief that education must be a right, not a privilege.
QCU is moving beyond graduation rates — it is now defining graduate success. Quezon City University is no longer just a local university — it is a leading institution joyfully shaping employable, socially committed and globally prepared graduates.
Local and proud
In the heart of Opol, Misamis Oriental, proudly stands the Opol Community College (OCC) — a local institution born from the community’s vision to make higher education accessible, affordable and life-changing.
The OCC was formally established through Sangguniang Bayan Resolution 2003-155 and Ordinance 2003-14, in consortium with Bukidnon State University, and approved on Aug. 12, 2003. It answered the constitutional mandate to make quality education available to all Filipinos.
The college opened with two degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Business Administration, enrolling just over 80 pioneering students from both coastal and hinterland barangay.
Today, OCC has grown to offer five academic programs.
Opol Community College has consistently posted passing rates above the national average for both its Elementary and Secondary Education programs, reinforcing its reputation for quality teacher education. In September 2018, OCC achieved a historic milestone when it produced its first Licensure Examination for Teachers topnotcher, who placed 2nd out of over 90,000 examinees in the elementary level — marking OCC’s rise as a serious player in the field of education.
As a local government-owned institution, OCC supports the municipality’s development goals — not only by producing a homegrown, skilled workforce but also through extension programs such as literacy programs conducted in partnership with midland and upland barangay, which provides targeted support for early-grade learners who need additional help in building foundational reading skills.
Education students and faculty play a key role in this community-based effort to promote literacy and learning continuity.
The Opol Community College Alumni Association spearheaded the formation of the municipality’s first-ever Barangay Education Council that fosters collaboration across the entire learning continuum — from early childhood to higher education — anchored in local leadership and shared community goals.
Despite limited resources, OCC thrives through the commitment of its faculty, the leadership of its alumni and the trust of the community it serves. It remains deeply rooted in its founding purpose: to uplift Opolanons through relevant, inclusive and community-driven education.
Cheers to these institutions! They deserve all the recognition as they bridge the future generation of leaders.
-END-
SOURCE: The Manila Times