Aiming to strengthen its presence in the global higher education landscape, Mindoro State University (MinSU) joined higher education institutions from the National Capital Region and Southern Luzon in the Filipino Leaders in Advancing International Reputation (FLAIR) Masterclass held September 22–23, 2026 at Twin Lakes Hotel, Laurel, Batangas.
The two-day activity, organized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) International Affairs Service (IAS), focused on strategies for advancing internationalization, global competitiveness and the international reputation of Philippine higher education institutions.
Representing MinSU were Dr. Melanie A. Tolentino, head of the Cross Border Internationalization (CION) Unit; Antonette H. Dudas, head of the Global and Local Partnerships (GLOCAL) Unit; and Jezell D.T. dela Cruz, head of the Global Rankings and International Accreditation (GLORIA) Unit.
The masterclass featured presentations from resource persons on internationalization strategies and global reputation, with particular focus on the World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI), Times Higher Education (THE), and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
Participating institutions including MinSU also signed a Pledge of Commitment on the first day, expressing their shared commitment to advancing internationalization and strengthening the global visibility of Philippine higher education.
The second day included workshops on applying for international rankings and ratings, giving participants practical guidance on institutional requirements, evidence gathering and the preparation of submissions.
MinSU has been participating in global university rankings since 2024, marking the start of its more systematic engagement with international benchmarking. Among the ranking systems it has joined are THE, WURI and UI GreenMetric.
Over the past two years, the University has maintained a presence in these global rankings, with its results placing it among the leading-ranked institutions in the region, according to MinSU's institutional records.
The University's continued participation also reflects a shift from treating rankings solely as measures of recognition toward using them as tools for institutional development. Preparing for international rankings requires offices and academic units to consolidate data and evidence on areas such as research, innovation, sustainability, internationalization, partnerships and community engagement.
For MinSU, the FLAIR Masterclass provides an opportunity to deepen its understanding of these systems and strengthen coordination among units involved in internationalization, institutional data, research, planning, quality assurance and global rankings.
The initiative is aligned with the University's LIFT MINSU development agenda and its continuing efforts to expand its international footprint as it pursues its vision of becoming the “Region's University of Choice.” (jdtdc)
#SDG4 #SDG16
302 Staff
10531 Students
9 Colleges
3 Years
