CPAf@24 features HEIs’ roles in forging leaders

The third and last part of the UPLB College of Public Affairs and Development (CPAf)’s 24^th anniversary celebration (CPAf@24) highlighted the role of higher education institutions (HEIs) in developing leaders for institutional governance and development. The program was held virtually on Feb. 11 with CPAf alumni and now HEI presidents as guest speakers.

First to share about her role as HEI president was Dr. Catherine Roween C. Almaden of Northern Bukidnon State College. She emphasized the need for HEIs to create an enabling environment for students to become transformational leaders who promote a design-thinking leadership built upon process, place, and people.

Meanwhile, Fr. Ruel F. Lero, president of Holy Name University, explained education as a process and HEIs as a venue of honing citizens who will make relevant contributions to the country. He also mentioned that leaders must possess civic consciousness and practice good governance.

Discussant Dr. Monica H. Walet, while acknowledging the speakers’ salient points, stressed the importance of self-care. Leaders should prioritize their mental health and well-being in order to help others, she concluded. Dr. Walet is a faculty member of CPAf.

Another faculty member and director of CPAf-Institute for Governance and Rural Development, Dr. Evelie P. Serrano, noted the role of HEIs in forming the leaders the nation needs in the future as they will be called to respond with a high level of emotional and spiritual wisdom and maturity.

The challenges of the modern world also called for HEIs to produce high quality graduates — competent, resilient, and virtuous as highlighted in the open forum.

New projects and upcoming activities of the College were also presented in the same program such as the CPAf Commons (a digital platform for instruction, research, and extension), CPAf microsite (an exclusive website for CPAf staff that contains relevant documents), College Library microsite (online portal of CPAf Library services and resources), newly published articles of the Journal of Public Affairs and Development, and the 3^rd International Conference for Governance and Development in 2023.

The three-part CPAf@24 celebration may be accessed at CPAf’s YouTube channel. The first two events held on Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 talked about leaders and the elections and the Mandanas- Garcia ruling, respectively.