NEUST strengthens policy innovation through Futures Thinking seminar

The Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST), through its Research, Extension, and Training (RET) Services Department, conducted the third leg of its Futures Thinking seminar titled “Translating Research into Policy: NEUST’s Commitment to Innovation and Community Development.”

Held in a hybrid format, with online sessions from March 20–21 and in-person sessions from April 1–4, 2025, at Le Charme Suites, Subic, Zambales, the seminar brought together RET chairs and coordinators from various campuses and departments to strengthen evidence-based policymaking, foster innovation, and promote community development through collaboration among educators, researchers, and policymakers.

NEUST President Dr. Rhodora Jugo urged participants to leverage their expertise in crafting data-driven policies, saying: “Our collective expertise must be harnessed to craft evidence-based policies. Remember, the future is not something we merely anticipate—it is something we actively shape.”

Dr. Jean Guillasper, Vice President for Research, Extension, and Training, underscored the importance of linking research with public policy by reiterating the seminar’s core objectives: to demonstrate the impact of research on policy development, explore effective strategies for applying research findings, and enhance collaboration across the academic, government, and industry sectors.

On March 20 and 21, Zheanne Aeson Dantis, Supervising Legislative Staff Officer and Head of the Communications Unit at the Office of Senator Pia Cayetano, and Dr. Michville Rivera, Dean of the College of Public Administration and Good Governance at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Valenzuela, delivered lectures titled “Introduction to Policy Research and Review” and “Integrating Foresight into Policy Design,” respectively.

The face-to-face sessions featured notable speakers, including Dr. Julius Caesar Sicat, Director of DOST Region III, who discussed “Bridging Research Innovations to Policy Formulation for Societal and Economic Impact”; Emmanuel de Guia, Resident Futurist of the Senate Committee on SDGs, Innovation, and Futures Thinking, who spoke on “Foresight and Governance”; Associate Professor Jalaine Joyce Malabanan of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) and PhilFutures fellow, who explored “Tools and Techniques for Policy Foresight”; and Dr. Ruperto Sanggalang, former Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commissioner and Senior Fellow at PhilFutures, who presented on “Policy Futures Design.”

The event was spearheaded by Dr. Guillasper, alongside Dr. Marilene Hipolito, Director of the Research Services Department; Dr. Marivic Villegas, Director of the Extension Services Department; Dr. Marilou Pascual, Director of the Training Services Department; and other RET personnel.

Through this initiative, NEUST reaffirms its commitment to becoming a globally recognized institution that champions innovation and community advancement through the integration of research and policy.

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