The University of the Philippines (UP) Office of International Linkages (OIL) successfully concluded KAPIT-BISIG 2026: United from Within to Beyond, a two-day national capacity development program held on 13–14 July 2026 at the SMX Convention Center Clark.
The event brought together representatives from 119 higher education institutions (HEIs) nationwide—comprising 75 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Local Universities and Colleges (LUCs) and 44 private HEIs—to strengthen institutional capacities and foster collaboration in advancing higher education internationalization.
Organized under the ANTENA and UNICATION Erasmus+ Capacity Building Projects, KAPIT-BISIG 2026 served as the Philippine replication training aimed at strengthening institutional competencies, promoting collaboration among higher education institutions, and cultivating a sustainable community of practice for internationalization. The initiative reaffirmed the University of the Philippines’ commitment to supporting Philippine higher education institutions in navigating an increasingly interconnected global academic landscape.
The opening plenary underscored the University’s strategic vision for internationalization through a keynote message from UP President Atty. Angelo A. Jimenez, followed by an international fireside conversation featuring Dr. Gino Angelo M. Velasco, Deputy Director of the University of the Philippines Office of International Linkages, Dr. Romyen Kosaikanont of Mae Fah Luang University, Dr. Jasmine Ryu of the University of Tokyo, Dr. Muthia Pramesti of Universitas Indonesia, and Ms. Natacha Moniz of Instituto Superior Técnico Lisbon. The panel explored emerging global trends in higher education internationalization and their implications for Philippine universities, highlighting the importance of strategic partnerships, institutional resilience, and regional collaboration.
Recognizing the varying needs of Philippine higher education institutions, the program adopted two parallel learning tracks. The Foundational Training Program equipped newly designated International Relations Officers and emerging practitioners with core competencies in internationalization, intercultural communication, partnership management, and institutional action planning. Meanwhile, the Capacity-Building Training Workshop provided experienced internationalization leaders with advanced discussions on strategic international engagement, policy alignment, ASEAN collaboration, and international project development.
Throughout the two-day workshop, participants engaged in interactive lectures, institutional mapping exercises, policy alignment workshops, case studies, peer consultations, gallery walks, project development sessions, and institutional action planning activities designed to translate internationalization principles into concrete initiatives that can be implemented within their respective institutions. Both learning tracks culminated in a closing plenary that recognized participants’ accomplishments and outstanding group presentations.
Representing the University of the Philippines, Dr. Gino Angelo M. Velasco, Officer-in-Charge and Deputy Director of the UP Office of International Linkages, led sessions on building a shared institutional vision for internationalization.
Mr. Guillian M. Mecate, Head of Program Development and Strategy of UP OIL, facilitated workshops on internationalization policy alignment and institutional action planning, while Mr. Ivan Kurt M. Monasterial, Executive Assistant and Head of External Affairs of UP OIL, led the module on Development of Internationalization Projects, guiding participants in transforming institutional priorities into implementable internationalization initiatives.
Roles and Responsibilities of an International Relations Officer was elaborated by Mrs. Maya Vicencio-Elopre, MOVE-UP Program Manager, while Intercultural Communication and Global Competence was headed by Ms. Bea Patricia Devesa, Deputy Head of Program Development and Strategy.
As the Philippine replication training under the ANTENA and UNICATION Erasmus+ initiatives, KAPIT-BISIG 2026 strengthened a growing national network of higher education institutions committed to internationalization.
By convening 119 public and private HEIs from across the country, the program fostered new institutional linkages, encouraged peer learning, and enhanced the capacity of Philippine universities and colleges to develop sustainable international partnerships, expand academic mobility opportunities, and implement internationally aligned programs that contribute to the continued global engagement of Philippine higher education.
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