The signing ceremony was witnessed by Commissioner Desiderio A. Apag III—CHED Commissioner and NEUST’s Board Chair, Dr. Lora Yudi—Regional Director of CHED Region 3, and Dr. Amina Rasul-Bernardo—President of the Philippine Center for Islam and Democracy.

Under the MOA, MSU-Maguindanao will provide expertise, technical assistance, and resource-sharing to support NEUST in developing and implementing the Diploma in WPS. This includes curriculum development, training and capacity-building for NEUST faculty, sharing of academic resources, and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. These efforts ensure the program meets high academic standards and remains responsive to the goals of women, peace, and security education, particularly with an Indigenous Peoples’ perspective.

Beyond the diploma program, both institutions agreed to collaborate on joint research initiatives, co-hosted seminars, workshops, and conferences, as well as faculty and student exchange programs. They also committed to sharing publications and resources to strengthen institutional linkages and contribute to higher education. The agreement will be effective for three years, with provisions for renewal and expansion.

This partnership responds to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between NEUST and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) on the establishment of the Diploma in WPS. It also reflects the strong advocacy of DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman, whose leadership inspired the program’s creation in Region 3, expanding opportunities for peace education in local communities.

The MOA was signed on September 10, 2025, at the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Central Office in Quezon City.

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