MU, C&E ALS partnership innovates higher education in EdTech Summit 2026

Article by: Alexa Juliana. Karaan and Setheleth Liam Ramos

Photos courtesy of Mapúa University

Mapua University’s (MU) continued rise to be among the top leading institutions in the country has created opportunities for collaboration with organizations that shared its vision of pursuing excellence and achieving global leadership in education. Demonstrating its mutual commitment, MU served as the Guest of Honor at the C&E Adaptive Learning Solutions (C&E ALS) “HED EdConnect: Higher Education EdTech Summit 2026” held last July 1 to 2 at Seda Vertis North.

Foundations of a Partnership

Last April 13, MU and C&E Adaptive Learning Solutions—a major educational and research materials provider to Philippine academic institutions—inked a partnership to modernize education, co-invest with global tech education platforms such as Cengage and ALEKS, and launch the TransformED Pilipinas Initiative to advance digital learning by technological integration across classrooms and universities.

Seeing the institution’s longstanding track record of innovation in Philippine education, technological initiatives, and the integration of technology into its education, C&E ALS Chief Executive Officer (CEO) John Emyl Eugenio believed that MU was the perfect fit for the partnership.

“Its achievements—including pioneering technology-enabled learning initiatives, advancing outcomes-based education, attaining international accreditations, and maintaining strong industry linkages—reflect a culture of continuous innovation and institutional excellence.” Mr. Eugenio elaborated.

The collaboration better prepares MU students for the workforce, according to Mr. Eugenio, “This Memorandum of Agreement benefits Mapúan students by strengthening Mapúa's continued leadership in delivering future-ready education and ensuring that its programs remain responsive to emerging industry trends and workforce needs.” he noted.

Taking digital integration a step further, Assistant Vice President of the Office of Digital Education, Learning Technologies, and Analytics (DELTA) Engr. Ericson Dimaunahan highlights the two cores of both the University and C&E, “We partnered with C&E because it is the Philippines’ leading distributor and implementer of digital solutions. Mapúa, meanwhile, is recognized across the Philippines and Asia for its academic excellence and leadership in integrating technology and innovation into teaching and learning.”

As for Dr. Dodjie S. Maestrecampo the collaboration with C&E is meant to further trailblaze how education is delivered in the fast-paced digital landscape our society experiences. “Our partnership with C&E Adaptive Learning Solutions (C&E ALS) to launch TransformED Pilipinas—which we proudly introduced as a dedicated EdTech professional development track for faculty members during the recent EdConnect 2026—stands as our proactive blueprint to lead, rather than merely react to, this digital shift.”

Integrating Change

As MU continues to embed innovations through its academic systems, the partnership with C&E ALS ensures that objectives are met through action-based plans.

“The program brings together institutional leaders, practitioners, policymakers, and technology experts to share real-world implementation stories, lessons learned, and proven frameworks. [...] Sessions such as From Investment to Impact, Scaling Microcredentials in Philippine HEIs, and The Smart Classroom focus on practical approaches to institutional transformation, while discussions from CHED, DepEd, MQA, and other international partners provide policy, quality assurance, and regional perspectives that help institutions align innovation with strategic goals,” the C&E CEO stated.

Through the summit, Mapúa highlighted its TransformED PH track, a dedicated initiative for faculty members that promotes the effective implementation of educational technology, innovative teaching practices, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in education.

Our students have access to a wide range of digital learning resources, including content from publishers such as Wiley and Cengage, as well as adaptive learning platforms like ALEKS. The university has also institutionalized tools such as Grammarly to support academic success. In addition, students and faculty regularly benefit from new features and enhancements introduced through our Learning Management System, Blackboard, known internally as Cardinal Edge,” said Engr. Dimaunahan, highlighting the ongoing collaboration between Mapúa University and C&E ALS.

Furthermore, Engr. Dimaunahan enumerates how the institution has been investing in improving learning experiences to aid students and faculty alike to be, “globally competitive, digitally ready and also familiar with the different AI tools.”

“The University is leveraging this conference to pioneer frameworks for nationwide faculty readiness, showcasing exactly how to systematically transition teachers from traditional lecture methods into tech-empowered facilitators.” Dr. Maestrecampo highlighted the partnership undertaking with their TransformED Pilipinas project, a dedicated EdTech professional development track for faculty members and as well as a way to branch out to embolden other institutions to follow an adaptive learning environment in response to the digital shift.

Curating the Future

The joint venture transcends beyond MU and C&E, the summit aims to create a lasting change within educational institutions. At EdConnect 2026, speakers discussed how to effectively integrate technological advancements like AI into universities rather than focusing on the advancement itself.

“Through case studies, expert discussions, and implementation-focused sessions, participants will explore how institutions are leveraging data, learning analytics, and adaptive platforms to better support diverse learner needs, close learning gaps, and improve engagement and outcomes,” Mr. Emyl expressed on the plans of the summit tackling the role of adaptive learning in modern education and its practical implementation within academic institutions.

For MU specifically, the C&E CEO stated the importance of adaptive learning and its correlating effects on students’ academic fatigue by enabling their current masteries on subjects and focusing their efforts on effective learning paths in lacking subjects rather than tedious courseworks. “Adaptive learning has significant potential to help address academic fatigue—not by lowering standards, but by making learning more efficient, personalized, and purposeful.”

For Dr. Maestrecampo followed up on the summit’s initiatives and the institution’s vision towards transforming the nation’s schools towards a more comprehensive learning environment by providing the tools for both educators and students to familiarize themselves with AI tools, smart classrooms, and adaptive learning platforms using their platforms such as the country's first BS AI Engineering and deploying ChatGPT Edu.

“Instead of keeping its strategies proprietary, Mapúa is driving this change by organizing this very conference with C&E ALS, intentionally bringing in global tech companies, world-class international speakers, and a jampacked program of cutting-edge technology and innovation topics. [...] the university provides a pre-tested, highly inspiring template that allows smaller or resource-constrained institutions to leapfrog traditional infrastructure barriers without having to waste years or capital reinventing the wheel,” the MU CEO and President expressed.

Eyes Set on the Horizon

Two different tracks comprised the summit that scopes the two-day event: (1) the Leadership track and (2) the Faculty track.

The leadership track aimed to provide strategic direction for universities to integrate digitalization into their curricula. It opened with keynotes from Mr. Eugneio as the CEO of C&E ALS captured the summit’s mission, “When education connects, innovation accelerates. When innovation accelerates, institutions grow stronger. And when institutions grow stronger, every learner benefits.”

Subsequent esteemed speakers included Dr. Lilibeth Sabino, MU Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs,Dr. Maestrecampo, and Dr. Shirley Agrupis, Chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education.

During this day, it also introduced the Philippine Executive Council of Academic Affairs, followed by a talk with Alex Bazoka from Jenny AI on integrating learning sciences and AI into universal design for learning.

Meanwhile, the Faculty track focuses on practical approaches to teaching, learning, and student development. These second track intends to foster a responsive learning environment that equips students with the skills they need to succeed in a rapidly changing workforce.

The second day featured a series of talks on learning solutions with various institutions. During which the University introduced its own specialized track, TransformED PH, and showcased the Smart Classrooms utilized by the university, presented by Engr. Dimaunahan. Followed by a panel discussion that brought together representatives of policy, international partnerships, quality assurance, institutional transformation, and industry to discuss the future direction of higher education institutions.

The two-day event concluded with a keynote address from the Department of Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, who set a reminder to institutions as they enter the digital era of learning, “Education must always remain profoundly human. This is the simplest definition of a human-centered institution: it is a place where technology helps people become more human. Technology must not dehumanize us.”

In the long term, the partnership and summit aim to narrow the growing gap between workforce demand and talent supply. Employers are increasingly seeking graduates proficient in the latest digital technologies. This initiative addresses workforce needs by fostering collaboration between higher education institutions and industries, as these sectors must work in tandem to prepare graduates for the realities of the evolving job market.