The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has called on higher education institutions (HEIs) to take a more active role in advancing the country’s progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), amid concerns that the Philippines is not moving fast enough to meet the 2030 targets.
“We are moving forward, but not fast enough to deliver outputs in the next five years. And this is why gatherings like today’s summit are very vital. Because if we are serious about accelerating the SDGs, we must recognize one of the country’s most powerful, but often underutilized assets, our higher education system,” CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said in her speech at the Higher Education Summit 2026 on Wednesday.
Argupis noted that while the Philippines has made progress in some areas, improvements remain slow, with stagnation observed in critical goals such as health (SDG 3), clean water and sanitation (SDG 6), sustainable cities (SDG 11), and strong institutions (SDG 16).
The country also faces concerns over its trajectory in climate action (SDG 13), which experts said is moving away from its targets.
CHED emphasized that higher education institutions represent a powerful but often underutilized asset in accelerating the country’s SDG progress.
To address the gaps, CHED is strengthening partnerships with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and other government agencies to align research, innovation, and academic programs with national development priorities.
Among the key initiatives is the ACHIEVE Reform Agenda (2025–2030), which aims to align higher education programs and research with the country’s SDG commitments.
“Through this framework, CHED is aligning higher education more deliberately with national development. This is in our commitments under the SDGs, one of its most critical pillars,” Agrupis said.
Under the initiative, CHED is promoting the SDG-Focused Research, Development, and Innovation Grant, which supports collaborative research projects among universities tackling priority issues such as food and nutrition security, climate and disaster resilience, responsive health systems, and clean energy solutions.
The agency has also developed the Higher Education Innovation Blueprint, in partnership with DOST and the University of Southeastern Philippines, to strengthen innovation ecosystems within universities and support technology transfer and commercialization.
Philippine HEIs are also aligning their programs with global frameworks such as the Sustainability Evaluation Tool for Higher Education Institutions, developed by UNESCO, to guide institutions in integrating sustainability principles into education, research, and governance.
CHED is likewise investing in faculty development through the Higher Education Upskilling and Study for Advancement of Staff and Faculty (HUSAI) program, which supports specialized training aligned with SDG priorities.
Several universities are also implementing SDG-linked projects aimed at strengthening food systems, improving health research, enhancing disaster resilience, and promoting digital innovation.
These include research initiatives on probiotics and functional foods led by the Mariano Marcos State University, artificial intelligence integration in health research through collaboration with the University of the Philippines Manila, and technology-driven fisheries innovation projects by the Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology.
Agrupis said stronger coordination among government agencies is also being pursued to ensure a whole-of-government approach to SDG implementation.
The inter-agency framework involves collaboration among CHED, DOST, the Philippine Statistics Authority, the Department of Budget and Management, and the National Economic and Development Authority.
The partnership aims to align research priorities, development indicators, public investments, and policy planning with the country’s SDG commitments.
Agrupis sustained collaboration between government, higher education institutions, industry, and international partners will be crucial in ensuring that the Philippines can accelerate progress and close the remaining gaps before the 2030 deadline. (PNA)
