In a strategic effort to enhance its global academic standing, the Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology (NEUST) concluded a two-day training-workshop on Scopus-indexed publications and world university rankings on October 14, 2025, at Nieto Hall, Sumacab Campus.
Spearheaded by the Research Publication Center of the Office of the Vice President for Research, Extension, and Training (OVPRET), the event was titled “Empowering NEUST Faculty toward Global Research Visibility and Excellence.” It convened 100 faculty members in a significant institutional push to bolster research output for improved international and local accreditation and rankings.
In her address, NEUST President Dr. Rhodora Jugo underscored the event’s critical timing and multifaceted importance. “This is a very important and timely activity,” Dr. Jugo stated.
Dr. Jugo elaborated that the initiative supports faculty professional growth, particularly for those who have yet to publish in Scopus-indexed journals and aligns with the university’s applications for AUN-QA, accreditation, and other rankings. “Most of all, we aim to contribute meaningfully to the community through the university’s research, thereby uplifting the lives of our stakeholders,” she added.
Dr. Jean Guillasper of the OVPRET outlined the workshop’s core objectives, explaining it was designed to “deepen the participants’ understanding of the complex landscape of world university rankings and to strengthen the university’s institutional strategies toward impactful and Scopus-indexed publications.” Dr. Guillasper further expressed the department’s vision to cultivate “a community of empowered faculty researchers who are not only producers of knowledge but also active contributors to the global body of scholarship.”
Echoing this strategic focus, Dr. Angelo Santos, Head of the Research Publication Center, emphasized the tangible benefits of high-quality publications. “I have personally witnessed how Scopus-indexed research publications have become a cornerstone of quality assurance,” Dr. Santos said. “They play a critical role not only in faculty promotion but also in accreditation, SUC leveling, and international rankings.”
The training was facilitated by external experts from Global Health Focus (GHF) University Excellence, led by Dr. Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III, along with Dr. Jerico Ogaya, GHF Program Manager, and Dr. Christian Joseph Ong, GHF Program Assistant.
Sessions covered critical topics such as scientific publishing, global university rankings, strengthening research culture, and developing a globally competitive research agenda. Technical workshops provided practical strategies for identifying free Scopus-indexed journals, leveraging generative AI in manuscript preparation, and developing impactful scientific papers.
The workshop’s core activity involved participants assessing NEUST’s current research visibility and rank performance, culminating in presentations of strategic outputs from selected faculty and departments.
One of the highlights of the event was the presentation of an award to NEUST by GHF University Excellence, recognizing the university as the Second Place Winner of the Philippine National Research Awards 2024 Regional Category.
In her closing remarks, Dr. Edgelly Vitug, Head of the Innovation Management Office, provided a reflective summary. “May this session remind us that research is not just about compliance but contribution, not just about rankings but relevance,” she stated, reinforcing the university’s commitment to producing meaningful scholarly work.
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