CHED, ASEAN Partners Convene Over 200 SUC Leaders at MPC for Quality Assurance Workshop

The Commission on Higher Education and its regional partners gathered 231 state universities and college leaders at Marikina Polytechnic College for the “1st Workshop on Universities’ IQA Implementation in the Philippines Utilizing the AUN-QA IQA Management Toolkit Version 1.3” on July 14–16, 2026.

The three-day collaborative program featured a keynote address by CHED Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis, who encouraged higher education institutions to embrace outcomes-based quality assurance amidst the diverse educational landscape.

“CHED oversees 2,364 higher education institutions and serves 5.5 million students and produces close to 789,000 graduates annually. Institutions differ in mandate, differ in governance, differ in academic profile, differ in institutional capacity, and, of course, differ in operating environment. To address this complexity, the Philippines adopted the Outcomes-Based and Typology-Based Quality Assurance framework through CHED Memorandum Order No. 46, series of 2012. It is within this policy and institutional context that the AUN-QA IQA Management Toolkit Version 1.3 becomes particularly highly relevant. This workshop will serve not only as a venue for technical learning but also as an opportunity to deepen collaboration among our universities, among our quality assurance agencies, and among regional partners,” Chair Agrupis said.

Organized by the AUN Secretariat, the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Institute for Higher Education Development (SEAMEO RIHED), the AQAN, and the AACCUP, this high-profile gathering has brought together 231 key officials, quality assurance leaders, and academic delegates from State Universities and Colleges across the country. The three-day event highlighted strong regional solidarity from AQAN President and AACCUP Executive Director Dr. Milabel E. Ho, SEAMEO RIHED Centre Director Choltis Dhirathiti, Ph.D., and AUN Secretariat Executive Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thanapan Laiprakobsup.

MPC President Dr. Rene M. Colocar expressed gratitude to the organizers and welcomed the delegates, for choosing MPC as the host venue.

“Marikina Polytechnic College takes pride in being part of this collaborative effort to strengthen internal quality assurance systems in the Philippines. As an institution dedicated to producing competent and values-driven graduates, we firmly believe that quality assurance is not merely a compliance exercise but a transformative journey toward institutional excellence. Sa inyo pong mga Dalumpinuno na patuloy na lumalangoy sa karagatan ng karunungan, sa dako pa roo’y kayo’y makakasumpong ng tiyak na kaginhawahan,” Pres. Colocar stated.

By Media Bureau