Faculty members and academic leaders of the Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa, Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology (DEBESMSCAT) immersed in intensive workshops and strategy sessions during the three-day University Futures Masterclass held February 18–20, 2026, at the Rafaela Events Place, Balud, Masbate, focusing on practical tools to future-proof higher education programs and institutional planning.
Designed as a hands-on training rather than a purely theoretical seminar, the masterclass guided participants through structured methodologies in futures thinking, enabling them to analyze emerging trends and convert insights into actionable academic and research strategies.
Leading the technical sessions, futures strategist Dr. Reginald G. Ugaddan introduced participants to environmental scanning and the STEEP framework, which examines social, technological, economic, environmental, and political drivers shaping the future of education. Through workshop discussions, participants identified weak signals and emerging issues likely to influence instruction, innovation, and workforce development in the coming years.
Building on these insights, education leader Dr. Ruperto S. Sangalang facilitated collaborative exercises translating foresight concepts into institutional strategies. Faculty members worked in clusters to align identified trends with research priorities, extension programs, and curriculum redesign, ensuring that academic offerings remain responsive to industry and societal shifts.
On Day 2, Mr. Lui Joshua N. Cuadra, steered participants through scenario development workshops, challenging them to craft multiple plausible futures for the college instead of relying on a single projected outcome. The session introduced backcasting as a planning tool, enabling groups to define a preferred future and map the policies, innovations, and milestones required to achieve it.
Participants then began drafting University Futures Project Proposals, capstone outputs of the training designed to embed foresight into departmental plans and institutional decision-making processes.
The final day featured a special lecture by Dr. Aldrin A. Darilag, who discussed the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through futures-oriented education. His session included Horizon Scanning workshops that aligned SDG priorities with key disciplines such as agriculture, engineering, technology, education, and workforce development, reinforcing the role of state universities and colleges as drivers of sustainable and inclusive growth.
The program concluded with closing remarks from Dr. Jona Mabato-Royo, Director of the DEBESMSCAT Futures Thinking Office, who emphasized that the true measure of the masterclass lies in implementation. She urged participants to champion foresight-driven initiatives within their respective units and sustain a culture of anticipatory governance, innovation, and evidence-based planning.
An awarding of plaques of appreciation followed, recognizing the invaluable contributions of the resource persons and facilitators for sharing their expertise and guiding the institution through the rigorous learning sessions.
The University Futures Masterclass forms part of DEBESMSCAT’s continuing efforts to institutionalize strategic foresight, ensuring that the college remains adaptive, resilient, and forward-looking in addressing the evolving demands of higher education and regional development.
Ladies and gentlemen,
