University of the Philippines (UP) President Atty. Angelo Jimenez announced the launch of three new graduate engineering programs in UP Mindanao on April 30, 2025, under a landmark collaboration with the UP Diliman College of Engineering. Starting Academic Year 2025–2026, the following programs will be offered at UPMin:
- Master of Science in Civil Engineering (MSCE)
- Master of Science in Industrial Engineering (MSIE)
- Master of Engineering in Industrial Engineering (MEng IE)
Delivered through HyFlex learning—a combination of real-time video conferencing and periodic in-person sessions—these programs are designed to offer flexibility for working professionals and accessibility to students across Mindanao.
“This is an opportunity for students in the Mindanao region to pursue their graduate studies without having to move to Manila or to other parts of the country,” said UP President Angelo A. Jimenez. “This initiative is aligned with UP’s mission of making quality UP education more accessible to lifelong Filipino learners, whatever their circumstances,” he added.
The initiative is part of UP’s broader effort to democratize access to advanced, high-quality education and to address long-standing regional disparities in access to engineering programs. According to CHED, only 12% of engineering students in the Philippines are in Mindanao, despite the island’s significant share of the national population and its strategic economic importance.
“UP Mindanao is uniquely positioned to help close this gap,” said Dr. Lyre Anni E. Murao, Chancellor of UP Mindanao. “By working closely with our colleagues in UP Diliman and the rest of the UP System, we are not only expanding access, we are also ensuring that Mindanao-based students receive the same academic rigor and excellence expected from UP.”
The new programs are also aligned with emerging national and regional priorities, such as infrastructure development, sustainable industrialization, and climate resilience. As the country faces a growing need for engineers trained in renewable energy, smart infrastructure, and sustainable systems, UP’s expansion into Mindanao represents a timely and strategic response.
More collaborative academic programs between UP Mindanao and other UP constituent universities, specifically UP Los Banos, are already in development, affirming the strength and future potential of the One UP approach—a system-wide effort to share expertise and resources across campuses.
The new engineering programs were formally launched on April 30, 2025, at the Pinnacle Hotel and Suites in Davao City. Over 200 participants attended, including UP officials, alumni engineers, representatives from state universities and colleges, and the private sector and industry.
The top photo shows top UP officials, led by President Angelo Jimenez (front row, sixth from left), alongside representatives from the agricultural, construction, and state universities sectors, namely, (left-right) Francis Manayan of Unifrutti Tropical Philippines, Ramon Allado of Allado Construction, UP Diliman Chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan II, Dean Annamarie Sajonia of Caraga State University, Prof. Rowaldo del Mundo of UPD COE, Pres. Jimenez, Atty. Raul Villanueva of PhilSaga Mining Corp., UP Mindanao Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao, Ms. Torres of Davao Colleges and Universities Network (DACUN), UPD COE Dean Tonette Tanchuling, and UPLB Dean Rex Demafelis.
See some media reports here:
- Philippine News Agency: https://www.facebook.com/pnagovph/videos/2478529452500876
- SunStar Davao: https://www.facebook.com/sunstardavaonews/posts/pfbid0Krrh2Ct8XCNtsSzhKEY67KzxcVjEwLyNSHAqK2VxgCiXX8w6ekcRLBRkVxJ9ddqQl
A day earlier, on April 29, 2025, the UP partner units held a workshop to plan their collaboration for the future of engineering education in UP Mindanao. For context, Prof. Jose Regin Regidor reported that the UPMin survey generated 46 responses from persons interested in enrolling.
Officials and representatives from the UP Diliman College of Engineering, UPLB College of Engineering and Agro-industrial Technology, and UP Mindanao’s College of Science and Mathematics, Department of Architecture, and Campus Planning and Development Office participated in the workshop. Facilitating the workshop were UPD COE Dean Tonette Tanchuling, UPMin Vice-Chancellor Maria Stella Salazar (Academic Affairs), UPMin CSM Dean Cleto Nañola Jr., as well as UPD and UPLB engineering centers, institutes, and department heads.
The workshop outputs consisted of academic, faculty, research, and administrative plans for the upcoming two-year, five-year, and ten-year periods. The group proposed to offer 24 graduate programs and 12 undergraduate programs in the next ten years. For the immediate two-year period, the plan is that UPLB shall offer Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering. UPD will offer PhD in Data Science, PhD in Artificial Intelligence, PhD in Chemical Engineering, PhD in Civil Engineering, PhD in Computer Science, a PhD in Industrial Engineering, and a BS in Mechanical Engineering.
In the next 5 years the plan is to offer BS Computer Engineering, BS/MS/MEng in Electrical Engineering, PhD/DEng in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, a BS in Electronics and Communications Engineering, MS/PhD in Energy Engineering, an MS or PhD in Environmental Engineering, a BS in Geodetic Engineering, an MS in Geomatics Engineering, a BS/MS/MEng/PhD in Industrial Engineering, a BS in Material Science, and an MS/PhD in Material Science and Engineering.
For the 10-year period, the target is the BS in Mining Engineering and a BS/MS in Metallurgical Engineering.
The above photo shows the workshop participants at the end of the sessions, led by (front row, left-right) UPD COE Dean Tonette Tanchuling, UPMin Chancellor Lyre Anni Murao, and UPMin CSM Dean Cleto Nanola Jr.