MMSU wins big at CHED ICONS Awards 2025
By Wimbledon Bosque
Reaping bountiful harvests in its internationalization initiatives, Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) emerged victorious in the Internationalization Champions of Nation-Building and Sustainability (ICONS) Awards 2025, organized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on December 10, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
The university bagged first place for the Global Citizenship Award for its flagship initiative, the ππππ ππΈπͺπ― ππͺπππ’π³π΄ π§π°π³ πππ°π£π’π ππͺπ΅πͺπ»π¦π―π΄π©πͺπ±. MMSU also won the Sustainability Award for ππ€π©πͺπ¦π·πͺπ―π¨ ππΆπ΄π΅π’πͺπ―π’π£πͺππͺπ΅πΊ π΅π° ππΆπ€π€π¦π¦π₯. Dr. Arlene Gonzales, director for sustainability and futures thinking, brought home the Emerging Leadership Award, replicating last yearβs feat of Dr. Mee Jay Domingo, vice president for planning and strategic foresight.
MMSU also placed first runner-up in the Outstanding International Education Programs category for its ππ΅πΆπ₯π¦π―π΅π΄β ππ°π£πͺππͺπ΅πΊ π§π°π³ ππ―π΅π¦π³π―π’π΅πͺπ°π―π’π ππ¦π’π³π―πͺπ―π¨ π’π―π₯ ππ₯πΆπ€π’π΅πͺπ°π― (πππππ) ππ³π°π«π¦π€π΅.
MMSU President Virgilio Julius P. Manzano, Jr. received the institutional awards, along with Dr. Domingo, Dr. Gonzales, extension director Marlowe Aquino, alumni relations chief Krismary Sharmaine Agbigay.
In her message, CHED Chairperson Dr. Shirley C. Agrupis stressed that internationalization in Philippine Higher Education is no longer peripheral, stating that it is an operational requirement for relevance, competitiveness, and long-term national development. She also highlighted the increasing partnership of Philippine HEIs to countries around the world, extending visibility and presence.
βI challenge everyone to pursue, expand, and take note that we are not only creating a global presence, but also assuring that we are locally responsive," Dr. Agrupis said.
Now in its 4th year, the ICONS Awards continue to recognize the exemplary performance of Philippine HEIs as their presence grows in renowned international ranking tables. This ceremony is a vital avenue for acknowledging the high-impact initiatives of Philippine HEIs toward sustainability, ASEAN awareness, and internationalization, along with the leaders whose vision transformed these goals into concrete achievements and milestones.
CHED ICONS also awarded outstanding Philippine Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) recognized across major international rankings including the QS World University Rankings, Times Higher Education (World University Rankings and Impact Rankings), and the World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI). It also supports one of the mandates of the ACHIEVE Agenda of the Commission on Higher Education on Expanded and impact-driven internationalization strategies, and President Marcos Jr. 's priority in elevating the global competitiveness of Philippine HEIs.
Dec, 11, 2025 08:47:am
Written By:
STRATCOM
