Malaybalay City, BUKIDNON — Bukidnon State University (BukSU) revisited and updated its (R&D) Agenda for 2025-2030 together with the Department of Science and Technology – Region 10 (DOST 10).
The two-day workshop on June 10–11, 2025, brought together 54 participants, including faculty and staff, local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and other stakeholders, to collectively define research priorities aligned with national directives and the specific needs of local communities.
DOST 10 facilitated the workshop and focused on formulating a capability-based and demand-driven R&D agenda that aligns research outputs with the practical requirements of industries and local government units (LGUs).
Dr. Cecilia Bucayong, a professor from Central Mindanao University (CMU), emphasized the critical role of R&D in enhancing regional competitiveness, supporting institutional growth, and advancing the professional capacities of researchers.
Government stakeholders also played a key role in identifying sector-specific needs, with representatives from the City Government of Malaybalay, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-X), Commission on Higher Education (CHED-X), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG-X), Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev-X), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-X) contributing insights to guide the agenda.
Notably, seven local MSMEs supported by the DOST’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) also joined the dialogue, reinforcing the importance of research in business innovation and competitiveness.
In her remarks, Dr. Carina Joane Barroso, BukSU Vice President for Research, Extension, and Innovation, expressed her appreciation to DOST-10 for its instrumental role in the initiative.
“We sincerely thank DOST-10 for their invaluable guidance in this endeavor,” said Dr. Barroso. “Although our faculty has been actively involved in various research and development projects, we have faced challenges in commercialization, largely due to the lack of a demand-driven approach. This workshop offers an ideal platform for us to align our research with industry needs, enabling us to elevate our work to new heights.”
The updated R&D agenda marks a step forward in BukSU’s goal of becoming a key driver of knowledge creation and innovation in Region 10. With a clear, responsive framework, the university positions itself to address pressing issues in the community while contributing meaningfully to the national development agenda.
This partnership between DOST-10 and BukSU exemplifies the agency’s commitment to building stronger innovation ecosystems by supporting academic institutions in becoming more responsive to the needs of their stakeholders, paving the way for inclusive growth and sustainable development in Northern Mindanao. (Rubie Fernandez, DOST-10)
