The University of Saint Louis Tuguegarao (USLT) held the Industry Summit 2025 on July 28, 2025, at the Bishop Constant Jurgens Campus (BCJC), bringing together key stakeholders from the academe and industry under the theme “Bridging Tomorrow: Uniting Academia and Industry for Future-Ready Talents.”
Dr. Herbert S. Corpuz, Academic Dean of the School of Education, Criminology, Arts, and Psychology (SECAP) and the School of Advanced Studies (SAS), opened the summit by emphasizing the collective role of educators, industry leaders, and innovators in developing professionals equipped with not only knowledge but the adaptability and skills required in today’s dynamic workforce.
“Our collaboration is key to building a bridge between academic learning and real-world industry demands… Together, we are shaping a future where education and industry work hand in hand to unleash the full potential of tomorrow’s leaders,” Dr. Corpuz said.
Dr. Rizza V. Ramos, Academic Dean of the School of Accountancy, Business, and Hospitality (SABH), introduced the participating industry partners, followed by the Statement of Purpose and Objectives delivered by Dr. Luisa B. Aquino, Vice President for Academics.
Dr. Aquino formally launched the Industry Advisory Board (IAB), a strategic initiative to strengthen collaboration between the university and industry partners. She outlined five objectives of the IAB: ensuring curriculum relevance, identifying future competencies and graduate attributes, establishing mechanisms for Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), promoting professional development and student readiness, and institutionalizing the IAB as an academic partner.
“What’s one thing we could do better as an institution to serve industry needs?,” Dr. Aquino posed this reflective question to the attendees.
The summit featured two plenary speakers. Dr. Pilar Acorda, Education Supervisor II, representing Dr. Julieta M. Paras, CESO III, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Regional Director, delivered a presentation on the evolving skills landscape and the need to integrate microcredentials, flexible learning, and CHED’s educational mandates, such as Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) and the Student Internship Program (SIP). She stressed the importance of lifelong learning and innovation.
“To remain globally competitive, our country must commit to reengineering its education-to-employment pipeline,” Dr. Acorda emphasized.
Mr. Juan G. Aglilam, Officer-In-Charge of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) Regional Office II, served as the second plenary speaker. He spoke on the alignment of academic programs with professional and licensure standards and PRC’s role in advancing Filipino professionals.
“Professional excellence is our mantra. We aim to provide shovel-ready inputs that recalibrate educational approaches, marrying academic achievement with professional dexterity,” he stated.
The summit’s afternoon program included parallel breakout sessions, where department heads, identified faculty members, and industry representatives discussed program-specific trends, challenges, and proposed intervention strategies. These were later shared in a plenary session to highlight key takeaways across departments.
Closing the summit, the incoming Academic Dean of the School of Health and Allied Sciences (SHAS), Mr. Alvin A. Aldea, delivered the Message of Gratitude and Closing Remarks. He acknowledged the shared responsibility of academic institutions and industry in developing future-ready talents.
“The conversations started today must continue. The relationships forged must be nurtured. With the diverse expertise in this room and a unified purpose, we are more than equipped to build that bridge for tomorrow,” he remarked.
A total of sixty-seven (67) industry representatives, along with the academic deans, office heads, department heads, program chairs, and faculty members, attended the event.
Spearheaded by the Office of the Vice President for Academics, the Industry Summit 2025 served as a platform to align academic offerings with evolving industry needs, reaffirming USLT’s commitment to producing graduates who are confident, competent, and competitive in the global workforce.
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