On July 9, 2026, Guimaras State University (GSU) joined 21 other State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in a two-day strategic summit convened by Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commissioner Dr. Michelle Aguilar-Ong, bringing together higher education institutions to strengthen inter-university collaboration and expand experiential learning opportunities through sustained industry engagement.

The summit served as a policy and partnership platform where participating SUCs examined collaborative mechanisms for student mobility, institutional convergence, and workforce-responsive academic initiatives aligned with the evolving demands of the country’s priority industries.

A principal outcome of the gathering was the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) among the Clark Investors and Locators Association (CILA), the participating SUCs, Pampanga State University as the lead institution, and the Commission on Higher Education. The agreement institutionalizes a pilot framework for local internship, student exchange, and industry immersion programs, providing students with structured learning engagements across Clark Freeport’s thriving semiconductor, electronics, logistics, manufacturing, and allied industrial sectors.

Through the collaborative framework, participating institutions gain access to an expanded network of industry partners, creating avenues for competency-based training, workplace immersion, and cross-institutional academic exchanges that reinforce graduate employability and industry relevance.

The initiative forms part of Commissioner Ong’s cluster-based development agenda involving 22 SUCs and is envisioned to inform the formulation of a national policy framework governing local internship and student exchange programs within the Philippine higher education system.