LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA — Leaders from State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) convened at the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) this week for a three-day summit focused on strengthening Philippine research and higher education leadership. The Bulacan Agricultural State College (BASC) was prominently represented by four of its directors, all recognized as UPLB Higher Education Leadership Mentoring and Fellowship Program (HELMFP) Fellows, who actively participated in sessions on institutional development, research, and well-being.

The BASC delegation included the following HELMFP Fellows: Dr. Meriam F. Sulit, Director of the International Relations Office; Dr. Ma. Leonora C. Sta. Ana, Director of the Culture and the Arts Development Office; Dr. Jennifer P. Adriano, Director of the Office of Student Affairs and Services; and Dir. Jennifer I. Guevarra, Director of the Alumni Relations and Affairs Office.

The comprehensive three-day series, hosted by the UPLB Office for Institutional Development in Higher Education (OIDHE) in collaboration with the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP), kicked off on October 15, 2025. The first event was the NRCP-Sponsored “Investing in the Next-generation Scientists through Professional Insights and Research Experience (INSPIRE)” program. This masterclass connected young researchers with the expertise of top Filipino scientists, including Dr. Carla B. Dimalanta and Dr. Ramon Christian P. Eusebio, and provided the BASC delegation with pathways to join the country’s national scientific community.

The strategic focus continued on October 16 with the 2025 Philippine Higher Education Leadership Summit. The summit’s primary goal was to strengthen collaboration among UPLB’s HEI partners in research, public service, and academic leadership, while providing a platform to discuss innovative strategies for institutional excellence. Plenary sessions covered topics essential for institutional growth, such as CHED’s Internationalization Agenda and Impact Rankings, and aligning academic strategies with agricultural transformation. Sessions on global collaboration, like Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), were highly relevant to the BASC directors’ specific roles.

The series culminated on October 17, 2025, with the “OverwHELMed: Leadership in Fellowship, Fellowship in Leadership” workshop. This gathering for both Batches 1 and 2 of the UPLB HELMFP Fellows provided a unique opportunity to build professional networks and share insights. The workshop notably focused on the human side of leadership, featuring sessions on team building, mental health and well-being in the workplace, and ethics.

By actively participating in all three events, BASC’s leadership ensured the institution remains responsive to both national research initiatives and global academic best practices. The fellowship experience further solidified BASC’s commitment to fostering strategic, collaborative, and personally resilient leadership within the college.

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Photo credits: Dr. Meriam F. Sulit