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| (Image Source: Facebook/Batangas State University, The National Engineering University) |
A strategic partnership aimed at strengthening workforce competitiveness in one of the country’s key industrial corridors was formalized on February 12, 2026 as Batangas State University, The National Engineering University (BatStateU The NEU), signed a Memorandum of Agreement with LIMA Land Inc. (LLI) and Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (AFI) at the Talent Edge Hub, BizHub at LIMA Estate. The partnership brings together the Philippines’ National Engineering University and one of the country’s premier industrial estate developers, with the support of the Aboitiz Group’s corporate social responsibility arm, to deliver industry-responsive microcredentialing programs for working professionals within the LIMA community.
As the country’s only National Engineering University under Republic Act No. 11694, BatStateU is mandated to strengthen engineering education through industry-driven curricula, deepen academe-industry collaboration, and lead innovative pedagogies through its Center for Innovation in Engineering Education (CIEE). In 2023, through Board of Regents Resolution No. 06, S. 2023, the University formally institutionalized its Microcredentialing Program — a forward-looking initiative designed to deliver specialized, stackable, and industry-validated training aligned with emerging technologies and workforce demands. The program was formally launched during the Government, University, and Industry Leaders (GUiLd) Summit last October 14, 2023. BatStateU Industry Microcredentials are structured as agile, skills-based learning pathways that enable professionals to upskill or reskill without stepping away from the workplace. Courses are co-designed and co-developed with industry partners, co-delivered with practitioner input, and co-assessed to ensure alignment with real sector standards and evolving technological requirements. Anchored within an industrial estate setting, BatStateU stands as the pioneering university not only in the Philippines but in Asia to establish a university presence inside an industrial estate while offering microcredential programs, co-designed and co-delivered with the industry — bringing higher education, advanced training, and enterprise collaboration into direct proximity with the workplace ecosystem.
Current offerings cover high-demand and future-facing fields such as Data Science, Cybersecurity, Networking Essentials, Internet of Things (IoT), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Building Information Modeling (BIM), Project Planning and Control using Primavera P6, and Occupational Safety and Health, among others. The University collaborates closely with recognized industry partners, including Microsoft, Cisco Networking Academy, CIM, Geodata Systems, and DOLE-accredited safety training organizations to ensure relevance, quality, and certification alignment. Under this expanded collaboration, LIMA locators will likewise participate in the co-delivery of BatStateU industry microcredentials, providing real-world perspectives to further strengthen program relevance and workplace applicability. Under the agreement, LIMA Land Inc. aims to endorse employees from its locators and workforce, ensuring that the programs directly address real industry needs and emerging technologies within the estate. Aboitiz Foundation Inc., in turn, will provide funding assistance to support enrollment fees and related training expenses, reinforcing its commitment to education, enterprise development, and community empowerment. Through this collaboration, the three institutions will implement and promote microcredential courses tailored to the evolving requirements of the industrial sector — strengthening competencies in data management, networking, project planning and control, GIS applications, and IoT systems, among others. During the signing ceremony, representatives from Batangas State University — University President Dr. Tirso A. Ronquillo and Director of the Center for Innovation in Engineering Education Prof. Divina Gracia D. Ronquillo — joined officials from the Aboitiz Group including Mr. Clifford Academia, Vice President for Industrial Commercial Business Operations Clifford Academia, Aboitiz Economic Estates Assistant Vice President for Luzon Operations Chino Zamora, Aboitiz Foundation Impact Specialist Meldz Duran, and Impact Specialist, Aboitiz Real Estate Senior Assistant Vice President for Corporate Communications and Branding Farrah Niña Mayol in emphasizing their shared vision of bridging academic expertise with industrial realities.
Dr. Ronquillo underscored that the partnership reflects a deliberate move toward strengthening engineering education beyond the classroom, stating, “Our partnership with the Aboitiz Group continues to grow, expanding beyond initial engagements toward a sustained and strategic alliance within the LIMA industrial ecosystem.” He emphasized the University’s firm commitment to supporting the development of a more competitive and talented workforce in LIMA through industry-aligned training and microcredential programs for employees and locators. “As the National Engineering University, we remain committed to this partnership,” he added, expressing confidence that the collaboration will scale to serve thousands of participants and continually evolve with new programs responsive to industry needs — strengthening industries and contributing to the broader economic growth of the estate and the nation. “Today, we come together in partnership to help prepare the next generation of Filipino engineers, technologists, and innovators who will power Batangas and the country’s continued progress. At Aboitiz Economic Estates, we approach development as a comprehensive effort. Progress extends beyond building infrastructure — it means creating ecosystems that bring together business, government, and education, enabling sustainable growth and opportunity, he added,” said Academia.
Through partnerships such as this, BatStateU The NEU continues to fulfill its purposeful mandate as the Philippines’ National Engineering University: advancing engineering excellence, fostering industry collaboration, and shaping a workforce ready to lead in an increasingly technology-driven economy. As industries evolve, education must move with equal agility. Through its institutionalized microcredential framework and pioneering industry-based learning, BatStateU The NEU continues to position engineering education as a strategic driver of national competitiveness and sustainable growth.
