Aiming to commit to the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) mandate of promoting relevant and quality higher education and its ACHIEVE Agenda, the Commission on Higher Education-Cordillera Administrative Region (CHED-CAR) conducted the 2025 FLAIR (Filipino Leaders in Advancing International Reputation) Masterclass, themed UPLIFT – Upscaling Programs and Projects, Leveraging Internationalization and Futures Thinking, on September 30 to October 1, 2025, at the Verbist Hall, Saint Louis University (SLU), Baguio City.

The event was organized in partnership with the CHED International Affairs Service (IAS), the Cordillera Association of International Relations Officers (CAIRO), and SLU as the host institution. A total of 20 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Cordillera Administrative Region participated.

Dr. Jimmy G. Catanes, the new Regional Director of CHED-CAR, served as the keynote speaker. In his address, he emphasized the importance of aligning higher education initiatives with CHED’s ACHIEVE Agenda, particularly strengthening internationalization strategies and harmonizing SDG-based research and innovation.

The two-day masterclass featured sessions with speakers from different sectors with internationalization background and outputs aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also included the pitching of internationalization efforts and best practices of participating HEIs. The activity concluded with the awarding of the 2025 Gawad Parangal sa Pandaigdigang Kahusayan on the afternoon of Day 2.

The program supports CHED’s ACHIEVE Agenda, specifically:

  • E – Expanded and Impact-Driven Internationalization Strategies

  • H – Harmonized SDG-based Research and Innovation Agenda

The full ACHIEVE Agenda includes:

  1. Advanced and Accessible Lifelong Learning

  2. Centralized One-Nation Human Capital Development

  3. Harmonized SDG-based Research and Innovation Agenda

  4. Integrated Real-Time Data Collection and Analytics

  5. Expanded and Impact-Driven Internationalization Strategies

  6. Vitalized Policies, Internal Systems, and Governance

  7. Effective and Efficient Public Service

Background on FLAIR

The FLAIR Masterclass was first initiated in the Cordillera Administrative Region through the collaboration of CHED-CAR and CHED IAS. Its earlier run gathered 80 officials from nine HEIs in the region, contributing to the inclusion of some institutions in international rankings such as QS, THE Impact, and WURI 2023.

Continuing with the theme “Cordillera to the World Today and Beyond,” the program has evolved into FLAIR 2.0 or FLAIR UPLIFT, designed to strengthen partnerships among Cordillera HEIs and expand collaborations with institutions outside the region.

To view more photos of the event, you may also visit our facebook page (CHED Cordillera) through this link: https://www.facebook.com/chedcar.official