The Benguet State University (BSU) Academic Sector, led by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Janet P. Pablo, conducted a three-day institutional scoping initiative titled “Institutional Scoping: Practices and Perspectives” among three Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on October 8-10, 2025.
Aimed at strengthening academic collaboration and sharing best practices among State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), the activity included a visit to Tarlac State University (TSU), Central Luzon State University (CLSU), and Aurora State College of Technology (ASCOT).
The institutional visit is participated in by the BSU academic unit directors, campus administrators, college deans, and staff from the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Among the focus of the institutional benchmarking is underscoring eight institutional scopes necessary in strengthening BSU’s academic engagement. These include coordination and facilitation of micro-credentials; college structuring and academic unit organization; management of advanced studies programs; admission policies and affirmative action mechanisms; impact assessment and compliance with R&E requirements; faculty workload policy; curriculum development and instructional design; and internationalization.
𝑻𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒄 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚’𝒔 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒓 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔
The delegation began the institutional visit to TSU on October 8. They were warmly received by University President, Dr. Arnold E. Velasco. He expressed appreciation for BSU’s selection of TSU as a partner in academic improvement and emphasized the importance of inter-institutional cooperation.
TSU Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Jasper Jay N. Mendoza, highlighted in his sharing that state universities should collaborate rather than compete and expressed hope for a future memorandum of agreement between the two institutions.
Throughout the day, both institutions engaged in in-depth discussions on key academic policies and innovations. TSU shared insights on its proposed micro-credential policy, strategic realignment of colleges and programs, and the establishment of offices dedicated to curriculum quality and instructional innovation.
The forum allowed the BSU delegates to gain valuable perspectives on graduate education systems, research and publication ethics, and affirmative student admission policies that promote inclusivity and academic excellence.
𝑪𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒍 𝑳𝒖𝒛𝒐𝒏 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚’𝒔 𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒙𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑨𝒄𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔
The CLSU visit was held on October 9 and began with a comprehensive university briefing. It was followed by corporate and promotional videos and presentations from various colleges, which highlighted CLSU’s academic advancements and institutional achievements. Dr. Pablo expressed gratitude for CLSU’s openness in sharing best practices, reinforcing the value of inter-institutional learning.
A substantive dialogue followed, focusing on faculty workload policy, advanced academic studies, affirmative action initiatives, and strategies for internationalization. These discussions provided the BSU delegation with actionable insights into CLSU’s operational frameworks. The visit concluded with a guided tour of KAMALIG, a two-hectare demonstration site showcasing CLSU’s innovative agricultural technologies—a testament to its leadership in agricultural research and sustainable development.
𝑨𝒖𝒓𝒐𝒓𝒂 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑻𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒚’𝒔 𝑭𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝑫𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔
The institutional visit concluded its visit in ASCOT. ASCOT President, Dr. Renato G. Reyes warmly welcomed the group, underscoring the importance of collaboration in advancing regional development and academic excellence. In response, Dr. Pablo affirmed the value of such partnerships, emphasizing that the sharing of best practices strengthens institutional capacity and fosters innovation across SUCs.
ASCOT presented an overview of its academic and administrative framework, including its organizational structure led by Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Ma. Luz F. Cabatan and deans from its academic units. The institution shared its implementation of outcomes-based education (OBE) through standardized course syllabi, alongside policies on student admission, placement, retention, and faculty workload management.
Further, ASCOT recognizes its phase as developing SUC learning from the experiences of BSU. They recognized the institutional visit as a form of ‘looking back’ of BSU as a big brother helping ASCOT achieve its desired directions.
The “Institutional Scoping: Practices and Perspectives” initiative exemplifies a growing network of collaboration among Philippine SUCs, creating a platform for shared learning and systemic improvement in higher education. By engaging with peer institutions, BSU continues to strengthen its academic leadership and institutional effectiveness.// PJNuval & ADCauan
Photos by: JManoling & JMLayagan
