 |
| (Image Source: Batangas State University, The National Engineering University) |
Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited Batangas State University, The National Engineering University (BatStateU The NEU) LIMA Campus last September 7, 2026, gaining a first-hand look at how the University is bringing engineering and technology education closer to industry practice through its pioneering Industry-Based Learning (IBL) model.
Developed through BatStateU’s strategic partnership with Aboitiz Economic Estates, BatStateU LIMA Campus is situated within LIMA Estate, home to more than 200 global manufacturers and approximately 75,000 employees across manufacturing, electronics, engineering, logistics, technology, and business services. This location places students within an active industrial environment and brings industry partners directly into the learning process, making the learning experience responsive to current and emerging workforce needs. As the Philippines’ National Engineering University by virtue of Republic Act No. 11694, BatStateU advances engineering education, research, innovation, and industry collaboration in support of national development. At the LIMA Campus, this mandate takes form through an educational model in which industry becomes an active partner in preparing future engineers and technology professionals. President Marcos was welcomed by University President Dr. Tirso A. Ronquillo and BatStateU LIMA Campus Director Engr. Albertson D. Amante, together with pioneer students and faculty members. Joining the President during the visit were U.S. Ambassador Lee Lipton, UK Ambassador Sarah Hulton, Japan’s Chargé d’Affaires Sho Ono, Executive Secretary Ralph Recto, Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Sharon Garin, Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Director General Tereso Panga, Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto, Batangas 6th District (Lipa City) Congressman Ryan Santos-Recto, Aboitiz Equity Ventures President and CEO Sabin M. Aboitiz, Aboitiz Economic Estates President and CEO Rafael Fernandez de Mesa, and JERA Chief Japan Power Generation Officer and Head of the Japan Business Strategy Division Koichi Morisaki. During the visit, Dr. Ronquillo explained how the pioneering Industry-Based Curriculum (IBC) framework bridges academic instruction and industrial practice, with industry positioned as an active co-facilitator throughout every stage of a student’s learning experience. Industry partners contribute to curriculum co-design and selected course delivery, participate in capstone projects and assessment activities based on actual industry challenges, and take part in professional placement. “Our mandate as the Philippines’ National Engineering University calls on us to continuously rethink and strengthen how engineering and technology education can respond to the country’s development needs. At BatStateU LIMA, our students learn with the industry, in the industry, and for the industry. We are preparing them not only to be ready for work, but to lead and innovate in the industries they will become part of. The President’s visit gives us an opportunity to demonstrate how university-industry collaboration can contribute to developing the engineering and technology talent needed by the country,” said Dr. Ronquillo.
President Marcos placed the issue of workforce preparation in a broader national context during his keynote message at the first anniversary of the Global Technical Center of Excellence (GTCOE), stressing that education and training must lead to meaningful work, career opportunities, and economic growth. He stated, “The challenge before us is clear: as our industries evolve, we must ensure that our people are equipped to grow with them.” After citing data on skills mismatches and hard-to-fill occupations, he stressed the need to bring education and training closer to industry requirements, stating, “These figures call on us to bring education and training closer to the needs of our industries and to better prepare our people for the opportunities that lay ahead. This is where Batangas State University plays a crucial role in this ecosystem that we have just toured.” President Marcos cited BatStateU’s 10 undergraduate engineering programs, eight graduate programs, Industry Microcredentialing Programs, and ETEEAP pathways for engineering and industrial technology-related courses, which provide working professionals with a pathway to a college degree through recognition of prior learning and industry experience. Complementing the President’s call for closer alignment between education and industry, Aboitiz Equity Ventures President and CEO Sabin M. Aboitiz underscored BatStateU’s role in the broader LIMA ecosystem where industry, infrastructure, technology, and talent come together, stating, “With Batangas State University here in LIMA, we have an opportunity to connect education and industry — bridging classroom learning with the skills the industry needs.” He described LIMA as an example of what can be achieved when government, industry, and education work together. The visit provided a look at how BatStateU is developing technologies that support experiential approaches to engineering and STEM education. President Marcos was introduced to selected BatStateU-developed technologies including TRIOE and ParallaxED along with a Smart Factory demonstration. TRIOE, or Tinkering Resource for Internet of Everything, is an integrated learning ecosystem that combines custom IoE-capable hardware, cloud-based tools, and an interactive learning management system. It supports hands-on experimentation in electronics, connected devices, coding, real-time data acquisition, and Internet of Everything applications, enabling students to develop and test practical smart-system solutions. The President viewed ParallaxED, a mixed-reality learning platform for engineering and STEM education that integrates virtual laboratory environments with haptic technology. The system allows students to interact with simulated machinery and engineering systems and conduct practical learning activities in a controlled virtual setting, providing another environment for learners to apply engineering concepts through experiential learning. The Smart Factory demonstration gave President Marcos a glimpse of how BatStateU introduces students to technologies used in modern industrial operations. The setup features a robotic arm and an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), allowing students to learn basic programming, system components, and troubleshooting, and to observe how automated systems can move, sort, and transfer goods across workstations.
BatStateU LIMA was officially launched in November 2025. Less than a year later, on August 17, 2026, the country’s first industry-based learning campus welcomed 720 pioneer engineering and technology students at its interim facility, marking the operational launch of the University’s IBL model as development of its permanent 10-hectare campus within LIMA Estate is underway. The presidential visit brought the country’s first industry-based learning campus into the national spotlight, highlighting how BatStateU is carrying its mandate as The National Engineering University into practice — bringing engineering education closer to industry, advancing homegrown learning technologies, and building a stronger pipeline of Filipino engineering and technology talent.
