Dr. Luisa B. Aquino, Vice President for Academics and Research of the University of Saint Louis Tuguegarao (USLT), has completed the DIES LEADx – Leadership for Transforming Higher Education Institutions Executive Programme conducted from August 2025 to October 2026, culminating in the awarding of her Certificate of Completion in Potsdam, Germany.
Through blended learning sessions, Dr. Aquino completed online learning sessions and in-person workshops in Potsdam. It covered five key areas: strategy, leadership and governance; leading change and organizational development; managing people, conflict and communication; strategic stakeholder engagement and institutional alliances; and empowered leadership and personal growth.
The programme, implemented by the University of Potsdam under the Dialogue on Innovative Higher Education Strategies (DIES), brought together women in senior leadership positions in higher education from Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America to strengthen their leadership and institutional management capabilities. It is jointly coordinated by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), with funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
A significant component of the event required participants to develop and lead an Institutional Change Initiative and work toward its implementation within their respective institutions. This provided an opportunity to translate leadership concepts into practical initiatives responsive to institutional needs.
Further, the activity strengthened competencies in strategic decision-making, change management, conflict resolution, inclusive leadership, and international collaboration, navigating evolving academic demands, organizational challenges, and the need for sustainable institutional development.
Dr. Aquino’s completion of the Executive Program reflects USLT’s engagement in global leadership development and the continuing professional growth of its academic leadership.
As USLT continues to strengthen academic quality, research, and international engagement, leadership development remains an important part of advancing its institutional goals and preparing the university to respond to emerging challenges in higher education.
The achievement also resonates with Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education), particularly the pursuit of inclusive, equitable, and quality education and lifelong learning, through the development of leadership capacities that support institutional improvement and educational advancement.
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