QCU Highlights Inclusive Education and Research at C.U.B.E. A.R.I.S.E. 2026
Quezon City University (QCU) highlighted its initiatives in inclusive education, community engagement, and institutional research during the 1st C.U.B.E. A.R.I.S.E. 2026, held on October 1–2, 2026, at the University of Baguio.
Organized through the C.U.B.E. Partnership, the congress carried the theme “Building Humanitarian and Resilient Learning Communities through Research and Sustainable Innovations.” It provided a platform for educators and researchers to exchange research, practices, and experiences focused on resilient learning communities, human well-being, educational transformation, partnerships, and inclusive development.
QCU President Dr. Theresita V. Atienza was among the keynote speakers during the morning program, together with Mr. Firth MacKenzie McEachern, MPM (Education), and Dr. Rahul Bhandari.
Through a recorded video presentation, Dr. Atienza delivered the keynote address, “Building Humanitarian and Resilient Learning Communities: Lessons from Quezon City University.”
Her presentation highlighted the role of a local university in making education accessible, connecting learning with community realities, and sustaining programs through partnerships.
Among the initiatives presented was QCU’s degree pathway for women persons deprived of liberty, which produced 19 graduates in 2024 and 24 graduates in 2025, for a total of 43 graduates across two cohorts.
Dr. Atienza also featured QCU programs supporting out-of-school youth, including Be Your Own Boss and Project CLiP, as well as community-based leadership initiatives and the University’s urban agriculture initiatives through the Center for Urban Agriculture and Innovation (CUAI) and Joy is a Farm.
The presentation emphasized humanitarian learning as an approach that recognizes learners’ circumstances and capacity to contribute, while resilient learning involves building institutional support and partnerships that enable learners to continue, adapt, and thrive.
QCU faculty members and researchers also presented studies during the afternoon parallel sessions, covering student inclusion, teacher education, engineering education, gender and development, local governance, and community engagement.
Among the research presentations were:
- Angelito P. Bautista Jr., with co-authors Merly P. Dela Cruz, Armon V. Valenzuela, and Jerico V. Galvez — Who Are the First-Generation University Students? A Cross-Sectional Profile in a Philippine Local University
- Dianne D. Lumibao — Digital Self-Efficacy and Attitudes Toward Technology Integration Among Pre-Service Early Childhood Educators at Quezon City University
- Dr. Randel D. Estacio — Curiosity as Curriculum: Measuring Scientific Engagement in Early Childhood Classrooms
- Dr. Erlee Angel S. Reyes — Economic Agency at Home: Its Hidden Role in Early Childhood Development
- Meldred O. Avila — Beyond Read-Aloud: Transforming Storytelling into Language Development Tools
- Dr. Nina C. Apusaga — Problem-Solving and Systems Thinking Competencies among BS Industrial Engineering Students: A Descriptive Survey at Quezon City University
- Dr. Nina C. Apusaga and Dr. Aura Marie Novesteras — Transition Experiences and Challenges of Non-STEM Students in Core Calculus Subject at Quezon City University
- Tiffany Capistrano — Training Evaluation of the QCU–BCRD Executive Course for Barangay Officials: Basis for Strengthening Continuing Education for Local Governance in Quezon City
- Candice Erika Rudi — Egalitarian and Traditional Gender Role Attitudes among Youth Leaders in Quezon City, Philippines: Basis for Gender Sensitivity Initiatives
QCU’s participation in C.U.B.E. A.R.I.S.E. 2026 reflects the University’s continuing commitment to inclusive education, community-responsive research, sustainable innovation, and academic collaboration.
Through its research and community initiatives, QCU continues to contribute evidence-based practices and local experiences to broader conversations on building learning communities that are inclusive, resilient, and responsive to the needs of society.
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