October 9-10, 2025
Partido State University proudly joins ASEAN leaders, quality assurance champions, and policymakers at the AQAN First Forum and General Assembly held at the Diamond Hotel, Manila, on October 9-10, 2025. This historic gathering serves as a premier platform for dialogue, collaboration, and collective action in advancing a shared vision of quality, trust, and excellence in higher education across the region.ย
Representing Partido State University in this significant event are University President Dr. Arnel B. Zarcedo, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Michael A. Clores, and Quality Assurance Director Janeth A. Cledera. Their presence affirms ParSUโs strong commitment to institutional excellence and its active role in shaping the future of higher education quality assurance in the ASEAN community. The forum brought together a distinguished assembly of participants, including AQAN member institutions and representatives, officials from the ASEAN University Network (AUN) and SEAMEO RIHED, national and regional quality assurance agencies, higher education leaders, policymakers, and invited guests.ย
The opening program was graced with the Philippine National Anthem, the ASEAN Hymn, and a stirring performance by the Philippine Normal University Chorale. Dr. Bert J. Tuga, President of the Philippine Normal University, served as Officer of the Day, while Dr. Anthony M. Penaso and Dr. Tirso A. Ronquillo delivered salutations that underscored the collective strength of Philippine higher education in the ASEAN QA movement.
In her keynote address, CHED Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis delivered a keynote that powerfully reframed quality assurance as more than a mechanism of evaluationโit is, in her words, โa system of trust.โ She emphasized that trust must be the cornerstone of ASEAN higher education: trust in the competence of every graduate, trust in the integrity of every institution, and trust in the collective progress of the region. Dr. Agrupis challenged higher education institutions to fully harness the expertise of ASEAN QA assessors, not only as evaluators but as institutional innovators who can shape cultures of excellence within their own universities. She highlighted the need to transform quality assurance from mere compliance into a dynamic force that connects systems to people, education to industry, and national efforts to regional aspirations. Her message underscored that true excellence is not about exclusivity, but about inclusivityโensuring that no institution is left behind as ASEAN builds a future-ready, borderless, and transformative higher education landscape.
Another highlight of the event was the turnover ceremony, where Prof. Datoโ Dr. Mohammad Shatar Sabran, CEO of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency and outgoing AQAN President, shared the accomplishments and challenges of his term. His reflections on AQANโs journey from 2020 to 2025 set the stage for a renewed commitment to regional coherence and innovation. This was followed by the acceptance and setting of strategic directions by Dr. Milabel E. Ho, Executive Director of AACCUP and the newly appointed AQAN President, who formally assumed leadership with a vision anchored in unity, transformation, and empowerment.
In her message, Dr. Milabel E. Ho reflected on AQANโs legacy of excellence and presented the RISE 2028 Framework, anchored on Regional Integration, Innovation, Sustainability, and Empowerment. She called on QA leaders to be co-architects of this vision, urging everyone to build bridges rather than silos, and to embrace open leadership, bold action, and deep listening. Her message highlighted that AQAN thrives through collaboration, and that the future of quality assurance depends on unity, innovation, and shared purpose across ASEAN.
ParSU stands in solidarity with ASEAN partners in shaping a culture of trust, inclusivity, and innovationโwhere quality becomes the heartbeat of regional integration and every learner is empowered to cross borders with competence and confidence.
Photo credits/ With reports: Ms. Janeth A. Cledera
