UP hosts dinner dialogue on R&D Strategy

University of the Philippines President Angelo Jimenez hosted “Evening Dinner Dialogue: Strengthening the Whole-of-Nation Research & Development Strategy” March 4 at the Executive House, UP Diliman.

Speakers included National Research Council of the Philippines President Louise Antoinette de las Peñas; NRCP Governing Board member, and National Academy of Science and Technology Academician Gisela Concepcion; Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Secretary, and NAST Academician Arsenio Balisacan; Development Academy of the Philippines Chief Executive Officer and acting president, and NAST Academician Leocadio Sebastian; NAST President Jaime Montoya; and Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Shirley Agrupis. Other attendees were UP System officials, NAST leaders, former NRCP presidents, UP Artificial Intelligence and Data Science training leaders, and Butuan local government officials.

In his opening remarks, Jimenez said the dialogue ensures agencies, universities and research communities move in concert and that UP accepts a particular responsibility. “Universities today are no longer simply places of instruction. We are what I often describe as the nation’s discovery and validation engine.”

Commission on Higher Education Chairperson Shirley Agrupis, in her talk about CHED R&D programs for State Universities and Colleges, Local UCs, and private Higher Education Institutions, highlighted the following: fragmentation within the education system, lack of centralized human capital development, and the need to improve coordination in research development among numerous higher education institutions in the country.

During the dinner dialogue perspective and viewpoints discussion, Academician and former NAST President William Padolina, cited the importance of stronger research management and specialized grants management departments and expressed “support for the scheme that will allow talent development and retention.”