08/05/2026
๐๐๐๐ | Mapรบa MCM, ASU strengthen academic ties to global education in Mindanao
Mapรบa Malayan Colleges Mindanao (Mapรบa MCM) and Arizona State University (ASU) officially signed their expanded academic partnership on May 7, 2026, at Dusit Thani Residence Davao, strengthening the vision for globally connected, innovative, and accessible education worldwide.
Leaders and faculty from the institution, government representatives, and media outlets gathered for the launch to discuss how the partnership aims to strengthen academic quality and learning experiences for students in Mindanao, particularly within Davao City. Among those present during the event were Mapรบa University President and CEO Dr. Dodjie S. Maestrecampo; iPeople Inc. President and COO Alfredo Ayala; Mapรบa MCM Executive Vice President and COO Engr. Alejandro Ballado Jr.; Mapรบa University Executive Vice President for International Alliances and Cintana Partnership Executive Director Dr. Bonifacio T. Doma Jr.; Cintana Education Senior Vice President for Southeast Asia Education Paul Tan; Davao City Councilor Hon. Antoinette โPetiteโ Principe; CHED Regional Office XI Supervising Education Program Specialist Dr. Christopher Pio O. Pulido; and Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the City Building Official Arch. Khashayar L. Toghyani.
In Dr. Maestrecampoโs welcoming remarks, he emphasized that the initiative is a part of a broader effort to scale global education models across all Mapรบa schools while accelerating innovation and lifelong learning. He also noted that as Artificial Intelligence (AI) continues to reshape industries, educational institutions such as Mapรบa schools must also evolve to prepare students for workforce development.
The collaboration, which initially began between 2022 and 2025 through selected programs under Business and Health Sciences, is now expanding across the entire Mapรบa Education Group (MEG) to widen opportunities for students and faculty members across multiple programs.
Engr. Ballado also underscored the benefits for students, family members, and the Philippines as a whole on making globally competitive education more accessible, particularly to Mindanaoans. He added that the partnership is a strategic step toward ensuring that any Filipino learner can gain access to the same level of international opportunities and quality education while integrating in local contexts.
โThrough Cintana Education,โ Sir Paul Tan explained during the discussion on student opportunities, โit embeds high-quality content into innovation and global pathways into local ecosystems, strengthening institutions rather than replacing them.โ
The Cintana Education, provided by the ASU, currently connects four universities, including Mapรบa MCM. Sir Tan further shared that the institutions were selected not only because of its academic reputation, but also of its strong institutional vision and capacity for ex*****on.
โThis is about co-creating a globally relevant, locally grounded model,โ he said, emphasizing that the partnership seeks to uphold global standards while respecting local culture and context.
The official launch follows earlier discussions held on March 19, 2026, when ASU Vice President for Global Strategy and Engagement Dr. Kristin Lord and Cintana Education Philippines Country Director Justin Fabia met with Mapรบa student media representatives through Zoom and an in-person session at the Office of the President Boardroom in Mapรบa University.
During the March dialogue, the respective officials explained that the original partnership, first introduced in 2022, initially covered degree pathways under the Colleges of Business and Health Sciences. Following strong student participation, with more than 5,000 enrollees under the programs, the collaboration expanded into additional colleges, including Engineering and Architecture, Information Sciences, and Arts and Sciences.
The expanded partnership also places strong emphasis on internationalization and innovation by opening access to ASU resources and networks, including opportunities for academic exchange among partner universities.
In addition, the initiative advances AI-enabled pedagogy and problem-based learning approaches, allowing students to engage with real-world challenges before completing their degrees. This direction is further reinforced through the rollout of ChatGPT Edu across Mapรบa institutions under MEGโs partnership with OpenAI.
During the March discussion, Dr. Kristin Lord encouraged Filipino students to maximize these opportunities by exploring experiences beyond their comfort zones and embracing broader academic and cultural perspectives.
Fabia, meanwhile, shared that both MEG and ASU envision the collaboration as a possible model for other universities seeking to build meaningful and sustained global partnerships that expand the overall student experience.
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