CSU TO EQUIP STUDENTS, GRADUATES FOR WORKFORCE DEMANDS THROUGH MICRO-CREDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

Cagayan State University (CSU) mobilized its academic community in a results-oriented seminar-workshop aimed at offering micro-credential programs across undergraduate and graduate levels, March 30, 2026.

Conducted face-to-face at the Claude Convention Center, CSU Andrews, and via Zoom, the two-part activity gathered one-hundred seventy-five (175) university and college deans and other university and campus officials, alongside faculty members from various campuses, to design quality-assured micro-credentials that directly respond to industry demands.

In her welcome remarks, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Mariden V. Cauilan framed the initiative as a pathway to empower lifelong learners and expand access to education.

CSU Officer-In-Charge President Dr. Arthur G. Ibañez highlighted micro-credentialing as a strategic priority, stressing the importance of producing concrete outputs from the workshop that will be implemented across programs.

Dr. Michelle Aguilar-Ong, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commissioner and lifelong learning oversight chair, noted during the workshop that employability metrics have shifted. Graduates of non-board programs are now tracked six months after graduation, while board program assessments remain within a two-year window, highlighting a shift toward responsive skills development.

Micro-credentials, she explained, provide alternative pathways for students, including those who may not pass licensure examinations, and dropouts, enabling them to gain employable skills and remain competitive in the job market.

With the theme “Agile Education in Action: Designing Quality-Assured Micro-credentials for Local Impact and International Recognition,” the activity aligns with the innovation agenda of CHED, under the leadership of Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis, to integrate lifelong learning, micro-credentials, and internationalization into Philippine higher education.

The initiative also supports inclusivity by providing opportunities for non-traditional learners, including dropouts and individuals without formal diplomas, to re-enter the workforce through certified competencies.

Meanwhile, participants are expected to design micro-credential programs across disciplines such as engineering, agriculture, industrial technology, criminology, information technology, teacher education, the health sciences, business, and public administration, supporting CSU’s goal of a lifelong learning model responsive to both local and global labor demands.

The activity is an initiative of the Office of the President led by Dr. Arthur G. Ibañez, through the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, headed by Dr. Mariden V. Cauilan, the Office of the Director for Instruction, led by Dr. Lirio Gudina C. Mangawil and office of the University Planning and Development Office led by Dr. Ian Roger M. Francisco.