Assistant Professor Leo Mendel Rosario delivered his plenary talk entitled “Advancing Sustainability Education in the Philippines: Pathways, Progress, and Possibilities” during the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM)’s 2025 Manila International Research Conference (MIRC) held at Justo Albert Auditorium on 18-19 September 2025. The conference theme is “Leveraging Research, Innovation, Technology and Education for Sustainable Urban Solutions (L.I.T.E.S.).” MIRC 2025 is an international hybrid conference that focuses on the advancement of sustainability initiatives in the urban communities of the City of Manila through R&D and innovation presentations. There were more than 100 research presentations in the fields of STEM, Education, Public Policy, and Social Sciences. The conference was attended both by local researchers from Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon and international participants from Germany, Netherlands, Morocco, Malaysia, and Singapore.
As a faculty member teaching courses in Doctor of Sustainability (DSus) and Diploma in and Master of Research and Development Management (D/MR&DM) programs of UPOU, Assistant Professor Rosario’s talk emphasized the concept of the triple bottom line of sustainability, sustainability competencies of systems thinking and futures thinking, and the relevance of education for sustainable development (ESD). He underscored the critical importance of sustainability transformation and transition in attaining a future sustainable planet. His online activity on Slido for both in-person and online participants revealed misconceptions on the definition and competencies of sustainability. The open forum circumvented discussions of the integration of the sustainability competencies in the curricula of higher education, contextualization of the SDG indicators, and information about the DSus Program of UPOU.
This initiative is in support of the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)
Asst. Prof. Leo Mendel Rosario with DOST Balik Scientist Dr. Hernando Salapare III, TUP President Dr. Reynaldo Ramos, and PLM School Officials
Written by Leo Mendel Rosario • Edited by Finaflor F. Taylan & Larry N. Cruz
#UPOpenUniversity
