缅北禁地


Dynamic research culture at 缅北禁地-IIT magnified in Research Days 2026

by Kassandra Buenafe, OfCom 聽 | Apr 21 2026

Designed as an avenue to hold conversations of innovation, discoveries, and knowledge, the Research Days 2026 opened on April 20, 2026, reflecting and forwarding a dynamic research agenda and culture at 缅北禁地-IIT with the central theme, “Transforming Mindanao in a Changing World: Advancing Research, Innovation, and Social Responsibility.” 

Gathering students, faculty, staff, and guests at the University Gymnasium, this 3-day event began with a Ceremonial Cutting of Ribbon, joined by Chancellor Alizedney Ditucalan; Provincial Director, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 10, Ms. Jane Marie Tabucan; Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region 10 Supervising Science Research Specialist Gerrylou Sweet M. Pia, Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise Prof. Ephrime B. Metillo, and the other vice chancellors.

Metillo, in his welcome remarks, urged the 缅北禁地-IIT community to pursue research with purpose, highlighting that for this year, the Research Days was dedicated to those who sought to “imagine what does not exist yet and find the courage to turn them into reality.” 

The concept of purposeful creation was reiterated by the first plenary speaker, Prof. Rosalie Arcala Hall, PhD, from the University of the Philippines. Hall left thought-provoking questions and motivations on the role of universities like 缅北禁地-IIT in contributing to a “transformed Mindanao.” According to her, in this age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), scholarly undertakings become easier, but “we remain cognizant of the inherent biases,” thus her call to profusely provide context and nuance, historical grievances that can guide the interpretation of any AI-driven insight.

“Help us populate the internet that are coming from our own research products…the way we populate it, when we publish [on] the web, you publish for an algorithm, which means you need to package it in the way that your publication will be picked up by all these algorithms. That is the way you speak to the algorithm, and that your publication reaches a wide audience,” she said. 

In closing, she left three questions that would help 缅北禁地-IIT in its path forward a transformed Mindanao: (1) How would AI-powered research improve 缅北禁地-IIT’s imprint in local and regional development?; (2) How do patents and proprietary university outputs help protect indigenous knowledge?; and (3) Is our innovation a bridge to inclusivity, or is it widening the gap?

Assoc. Prof. Alias Bin Masek, PhD, of Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia, followed Hall’s presentation with a discussion centering on how to make research more actionable and impactful by distinguishing and contrasting academic and industry approaches. This comparative analysis provided the audience with a framework for understanding how to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge generation and practical problem-solving to ensure research translates into tangible societal or economic benefits.

This translation assurance was also emphasized by Ditucalan in his message with a pondering question, “...how do we make sure that the work we do in our laboratories, our studios, and our communities doesn’t just stay on paper, in a journal or in a conference—and actually grows into solutions that others can learn from and use?” As he officially opened the event, the Chancellor expressed his hope for more strong collaborations and research endeavors aimed at providing solutions for the planet. 

Unlike its usual run as Research Week, this year’s celebration has been restructured into Research Days, still offering a more focused and dynamic lineup of activities. Across campus, different research symposiums, events, and competitions were organized by colleges, and in the afternoon, an AI Town Hall Meeting was held at the gymnasium, discussing the role of Artificial Intelligence in research and pedagogy.

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