Southern Leyte State University – Tomas Oppus Campus (SLSU-TO), through the initiative of the Quality Assurance Office, conducted a two-day “Re-Orientation and Updating of Risks Register” on July 30–31, 2025, at the SLSU-TO Conference Room, Administration Building. This activity aimed to strengthen the university’s risk management system by reorienting process owners on the fundamentals of risk identification, assessment, and mitigation. All concerned process owners from various offices and units were actively involved in this vital undertaking.

Dr. Stella Marie Consul delivered a lecture on risk and its various categories, the rationale behind risk management in the context of ISO 9001:2015, and the importance of risk management in educational institutions. She emphasized that effective risk management is crucial in achieving institutional goals and ensuring the delivery of quality services. Following Dr. Consul’s presentation, Ms. Mary Cris Orias discussed risk management within the Quality Management System (QMS). Her session focused on the use of the Risk Register and the Risk Grading system as essential tools for monitoring and evaluating risks across the university’s processes. In the afternoon of Day 1, all units were given time to meet with their personnel in their respective offices. Process owners conducted a thorough review of their current risk registers, initiating discussions and updates based on actual operations and potential risks relevant to their functions.

Day 2 opened with preliminaries and continued with group presentations of the updated risk registers from various process owners. The participating groups included Academics, Student Affairs and Services (SAS), Research, Innovation, and Extension Services (RIES), and Administrative and Finance. These presentations showcased collaborative efforts in identifying current risks and proposing practical mitigation strategies aligned with institutional objectives.

Through this initiative, SLSU-TO continues to promote a risk-aware culture in line with ISO 9001:2015 standards and its broader mission to uphold excellence in higher education. This initiative supports Sustainable Development Goal 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

Educators across Southeast Asia gathered virtually on July 31, 2025, to mark the first regional orientation session of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL)—a growing consortium of institutions spearheaded by Tra Vinh University (Vietnam) and Southern Leyte State University (Philippines), which also co-founded the Collaborative Online International Network (COIN). COIN, which stands for Collaborative Online International Network, aims to implement COIL programs, as well as similar initiatives such as Experiential Digital Global Engagement (EDGE), Virtual Exchange (VE), and online international team teaching.

The network's core purpose is to promote online international team-taught courses, enhancing student engagement, intercultural experiences, and global learning through virtual communication.
The session opened with a message from Dr. Leslie Elisa Cobilla, COIN's project leader from SLSU, followed by an engaging icebreaker led by Dr. Joseph Monter Añavesa. The COIL overview, presented by Dr. Chau Thi Hoang Hoa, Team Leader of COIL and COIN at TVU and Dr. Leah S. Tinga, laid out the foundational goals of COIN: to implement Collaborative Online International Learning, encourage global student engagement, and support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). Dr. Elmer Abayan Irene of SSU, a member of the university of COIN, served as the event's moderator and facilitator.

Educators explored the practicalities of COIL implementation, including the use of AI tools such as ChatGPT for project ideation and design. Participants were guided to reflect on their teaching goals and to design COIL-ready modules with an emphasis on collaboration, intercultural communication, and course integration. The orientation featured real-world COIL project examples from experienced "COILers." Dr. Mary and Ms. Van shared a project on cultural values in Vietnamese and Filipino literature; Dr. Adora and Dr. Hoa presented a multicultural early childhood education module; and Dr. Joseph and Dr. Hoa discussed academic essay writing as a tool for cultural comparison. These models showcased how COIL fosters both academic rigor and cultural understanding. Topics also included the pros and cons of COIL implementation, pedagogical challenges, institutional barriers, and potential research areas. Facilitators, including Dr. Adora, Dr. Leslie, Dr. Leah, and Prof. Joan Baclay, encouraged active dialogue, emphasizing the need for sustainable and meaningful partnerships.

A total of 59 participants attended the event, representing institutions such as Southern Leyte State University (SLSU), Samar State University (SSU), Palompon Institute of Technology (PIT), and the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) from the Philippines, as well as several universities across Vietnam. The event concluded with heartfelt messages of appreciation, underscoring the spirit of international unity and cooperation that defines COIN. With more institutions and individuals across Asia joining the movement, COIN stands as a powerful model for collaborative teaching and inclusive, future-ready education.

A two-day Seminar-Writeshop on Integrating Impact Assessment in Extension Programs, Projects, and Activities (PPAs) was successfully held on July 15–16, 2025, at the Conference Room, Admin Building. This engagement, organized by the Extension Services Office of Tomas Oppus Campus, gathered extension project leaders, program heads, and professors to enhance their knowledge and capacity in integrating impact assessment into extension work.

Dr. Rhoderick D. Malangsa led the core sessions of the two-day seminar-writeshop, delivering in-depth lectures on key concepts such as Extension Project and R.D.E. Inputs, Adoption Pathway, Project Outcomes, Net Benefits, Theory of Change, and Monitoring and Evaluation. He stressed the importance of aligning extension work with research outputs and impact assessment. Participants engaged in an interactive writeshop to assess their projects, focusing on adoption pathways and social value. On Day 2, attendees presented and refined their proposals using the frameworks learned, with peer feedback and expert guidance. The two-day engagement concluded with a brief closing program that celebrated the participants' active involvement and renewed commitment to improving the quality, relevance, and sustainability of extension services.

This seminar-writeshop was grounded in a strong rationale: while SUCs have expanded their extension activities, the lack of structured impact assessment systems continues to pose challenges in measuring real outcomes and societal benefits. Many programs focus solely on outputs without evaluating long-term impacts, thus limiting institutional effectiveness and growth. Embedding impact assessment as an integral part of extension work is critical for accountability, continuous improvement, and policy development. 

This initiative directly supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education by promoting inclusive, equitable, and impactful lifelong learning through extension.

Southern Leyte State University - Tomas Oppus Campus (SLSU-Tomas Oppus) played a significant role in the "Tomas Oppus Academe: Cocktail Night 2025," a significant gathering held last July 23, 2025. The event highlighted the collaborative efforts of SLSU-Tomas Oppus, the DepEd Tomas Oppus District, and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Tomas Oppus in promoting quality education within the community.

SLSU-Tomas Oppus's contribution to the community’s educational sphere was consistently highlighted throughout the program. The hosts articulated the event's core message: "when DepEd Tomas Oppus, SLSU-Tomas Oppus, and the LGU of Tomas Oppus come together, great things happen". Dr. Norla Grace Betarmos, Faculty Dean of Teacher Education, SLSU, delivered a poignant message, emphasizing that "teacher education is a shared mission that requires passion, purpose, and people working together". Following her, Dr. Clemente H. Cobilla, Campus Director of SLSU-TO, provided a message of institutional commitment. A key moment saw Ma’am Judy Paz, Supervising Administrative Officer of SLSU-TO, lead the "Pledge of Commitment," a gesture signifying "shared accountability, shared progress, and shared success".

The "Ceremonial Toast of Excellence," celebrating "excellence and enduring partnerships," was raised under the guidance of Dr. Pritzel Lee G. Capili, SLSU-TO’s SAS Head.

The "Partnership Awards" segment of the night specifically recognized the collaborative synergy between SLSU Tomas Oppus, DepEd Tomas Oppus District, and the LGU of Tomas Oppus, honoring those who "continue to push education forward in our community". The evening concluded with a networking soirée, aimed at fostering "deeper connections" and sparking future collaborations, not just among institutions but "between people who truly care about education". This event strongly aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 4: Quality Education, and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals.