As the implementing partner and host, De La Salle University (DLSU) led the 6th Asia-Europe Foundation Higher Education Innovation Laboratory (ASEFInnoLab6) Conference in Manila late last year.
With the theme “Co-Creating Future-Ready Micro-Credentials for the Al Era,” the five-day conference welcomed 25 higher education leaders and academics from 21 countries in Asia and Europe to co-design micro-credential programs addressing skills needs in the AI era.
Through keynote lectures, hands-on workshops, team feedback sessions, and engagement with industry and policymakers, participants explored how universities can advance responsible, inclusive, and future-oriented AI education.
Among the speakers on the first day were DLSU Vice President for External Relations and Internationalization Dr. Anthony Shung Fung Chiu, Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairperson Dr. Shirley Agrupis, and UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines Commissioner Dr. Alvin Culaba. They underscored the critical role of universities as societies navigate rapid AI transformation, while highlighting the Philippines’ strong commitment to ethical, inclusive, and human-centered AI in education and national development.
A multisectoral panel discussion also took place on the opening day, featuring voices from the youth, government, academe, and industry. The discussion emphasized the importance of cross-sector collaboration for AI-enabled national development, the role of young changemakers, universities’ evolving relationship with technology, and the urgency of ensuring AI benefits underserved communities amid a widening digital divide.
Throughout the week, teams presented micro-credential programs-in-development, each addressing emerging skills needs in an AI-driven world. Among them, Jo Ann Magsumbol from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines along with Shafiee Yakob from the University of Brunei Darussalam presented “Incorporating AI Tools in Teaching and Assessment.”
On the second day, participants engaged directly with industry-led applications of data and AI. The visit began with insights from Andrew L. Tan Institute of Data Science Executive Director Dr. Briane Samson who highlighted how data-driven solutions are being applied to urban planning, transportation, and public health in the Philippines.
They visited Megaworld’s Integrated Town Management Corporation Command Center, where Chief Data Scientist Francis Viernes demonstrated real-world applications of advanced technologies in urban management.
On the final day, participants attended the Conference on AI Governance and Safety, a side event organized by DLSU alongside the ASEFInnoLab6 Conference. DLSU VP for Research and Innovation Dr. Raymond Girard Tan highlighted the importance of responsible AI development and application, particularly within higher education. This was followed by a presentation from DLSU Full Professor and Research Fellow Dr. Robert Kerwin Billones, who introduced the “Frontiers Champion: AI Governance and Safety initiative,” tracing the evolution of AI governance research and showcasing emerging national partnerships in the Philippines.
Perspectives from government, industry, and academe—shared by representatives from the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Globe Telecom, and DLSU—reinforced the need for responsible design, privacy safeguards, and institutional accountability.
The program concluded with a Government-Industry-Academe Forum, reflecting on collective pathways towards ethical, future-ready AI frameworks in higher education.
