QUEZON CITY – The University of the Philippines (UP) and the Commission on Higher Education – National Capital Region (CHED-NCR) hosted a high-level delegation from the World Education Expo (WEE) 2026 and Education Malaysia Global Services (EMGS) on February 4, 2026.
Held at the UP Diliman Institute of Biology, the meeting featured a robust delegation including EMGS Acting CMO Shahrill Sabaruddin and Khafizah binti Mat Nasib; UTAR’s Irene Wong Hong Lei and Chai Wei See; UUM’s Suzila Ismail; TAR UMT’s Marcus Ooi; and UTP’s Mohamed Aqil Zafry and Md Fahmi Firdaus. Representing the Philippine side were OIL OIC and Deputy Director Gino Angelo M. Velasco, Chynna Louise Riego, Ivan Kurt Monasterial, and Racel Kary Pinas, Office of International Linkages, alongside CHED-NCR’s Jaxine Dominique Laguio and Beatrice Faye Garbosa, with MSW Global’s Keenan Pasha facilitating.
The proceedings centered on the ASEAN GEMS 2026 Socialization Tour presented by EMGS Acting CMO Shahrill Sabaruddin and Khafizah binti Mat Nasib. This initiative outlines a roadmap to host 250,000 international students in Malaysia by 2030 through modernized digital infrastructure, including a streamlined 14-day visa process and the “Graduate Pass” for post-study career exploration. A major highlight was the introduction of the ASEAN GEMS platform, a digital hub designed to bridge financial barriers by matching students with scholarships and grants, specifically to encourage talent to remain within the Southeast Asian academic ecosystem.
During the institutional exchange, the Malaysian delegation showcased specialized programs for potential collaboration with UP’s 17-campus network. UTP emphasized research in energy and data science, while TAR UMT proposed high-impact internship exchanges leveraging their 95% graduate employability rate. Other institutions, including UUM, Lincoln University College, and UniKL, presented pathways in public administration, health sciences, and technical-vocational education (TVET). The discussions positioned UP, a founding member of the ASEAN University Network, as a primary partner for these diverse academic and research initiatives.
The meeting concluded with a shared vision for Transnational Education (TNE), focusing on joint degrees and “Edu-tourism” to create a more integrated regional education market. To formalize these ties, the Malaysian HEIs committed to submitting Letters of Intent to UP’s Office of International Linkages, while EMGS will lead a digital roadshow to promote these scholarship and internship opportunities to the UP student body. This collaborative effort marks a significant step toward building a more self-sustaining and interconnected higher education landscape within the ASEAN community.