UST marks 414th year with EdTech 5.0 conference on sustainable innovation

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) capped its 414th founding anniversary with the staging of the EdTech 5.0 Conference, an event that also marked the 30th year of its Educational Technology (EdTech) Center.

The two-day gathering, held in partnership with C&E Adaptive Learning Solutions, drew more than 250 participants from the academe, government, and industry to discuss how intelligent and human-centered technologies can shape the future of education. The program featured four plenary sessions, two panel discussions, 19 research presentations, and eight workshops on themes ranging from ethical artificial intelligence to digital sustainability and workforce readiness.

Jointly organized by the UST Educational Technology (EdTech) Center and C&E Adaptive Learning Solutions, and backed by a roster of esteemed sponsors and partners, the conference served as a dynamic platform to exchange insights and showcase innovations aligned with EdTech 5.0.

Keynote speakers included Dr. Naoki Suzuki of Tokyo Gakugei University, who discussed “Transforming Learning Through Innovative Pedagogies, Immersive and Emerging Platforms for Future-Proofed Skills Development;” and UST College of Education Assistant Dean Louie B. Dasas, Ph.D., who presented “Unlocking EdTech 5.0’s Potential: Human-Centered AI, Ethical Data, and the Future of Personalized Education.”

Jullian Dominic D. Ducut of the UST Senior High School also talked about “Powering Industry 5.0: Data, Skills, and the Future-Ready Workforce” while Prof. Donald G. Manlapaz, Ph.D., of the UST College of Rehabilitation Sciences discussed “Connected for Good: Technology at the Intersection of Sustainability, Security, and Health.” Their talks underscored the importance of personalized learning, cross-sectoral collaboration, and technological adaptability in building future-ready education systems.

Panel discussions also gathered the nuanced insights of Dr. Elenita N. Que (UP College of Education), Prof. Takashi Fukushima (Tokyo Gakugei University), Dr. Devy M. Galang (Philippine eLearning Society), Raphael Walker (Accredify), Engr. Ericson D. Dimaunahan (Mapua University), Assoc. Prof. Wilben Christie R. Pagtaconan (Philippine eLearning Society), and Asst. Prof. Elfritzson M. Peralta, MSc (UST College of Science), in the topics “EdTech 5.0: Charting a Course for Sustainable and Transformative Innovations” and “Securing Our Future: EdTech 5.0 and the Call to Action for Sustainable and Transformative Living.”

The conference showcased UST’s recent induction into the prestigious Digital Education Council and highlighted its recognition in the Silver Tier of the Times Higher Education Online Learning Rankings. Interactive workshops such as the Student StartUP event “ClashBytes,” XR & Metaverse Integration workshop, AI workshops for teachers and students, Arduino workshop, STEAM solutions workshop, and the EdTech Ecosystem showcase provided opportunities for real-time innovation demonstrations and collaboration.

In addition, a nostalgic summary of the EdTech Center’s history was also presented at the conference, with former administrators honored on stage for their contributions.

In line with its theme, the event adopted sustainable practices, such as reusable lanyards, digital credentials, and eco-friendly dining materials. UST officials said these efforts reflect the university’s broader commitment to sustainability as framed in Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Sí.