Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna (Mapúa MCL) strengthens its position as a major academic research hub in the CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) region driven by its growing number of research output, the launch of three dedicated research centers, and the successful acquisition of externally funded projects.
The Mapúa MCL Research Promotion and Coordination Office (RPCO) shared this year’s milestones which included 180 research papers published and accepted in Scopus-indexed journals and conference proceedings, securing three externally funded projects with two from DOST (Department of Science and Technology) under their Grants-in-Aid program, and one from the SECRA (Strengthening University Enterprise Collaboration for Resilient Communities in Asia) project under the Erasmus+ program of the European Union. In addition, Mapúa MCL RPCO formally opened three research centers— the Center for Sustainable Water Solutions (CSWS), Center for Computational Innovations and Sustainability (CCIS), and Center for Research in Emerging and Sustainable Technologies (CREST).
In the past academic year, Mapúa MCL researchers have presented in several international scientific and academic arenas including conferences held in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam and Australia that focused on diverse fields like engineering, computing, business, environmental science, sustainability, communication, and education.
Mapúa MCL has also partnered with a range of foreign and local institutions for research and academic exchange in the past year. Recently, Mapúa MCL published a journal paper in Science Direct as output of an international research collaboration. For collaborative research, the institution partnered with Sunway University in Malaysia on “Inspire Collab: Global Partnership Engagement Conference” held in cooperation top universities in Malaysia.
“Through active participation in global academic networks, our researchers build relationships with international scholars, leading to joint publications, shared datasets, and cross-border studies. We also develop institutional linkages that allow for exchange programs, benchmarking, and research mentoring. These partnerships serve as bridges for continuous knowledge exchange—ensuring that Mapúa MCL’s academic communities are aligned with global standards and open to interdisciplinary collaboration,” Dr. Hermie V. Articona, Director for Mapúa MCL Research Promotion and Coordination Office (RPCO), said.
For local research efforts, Mapúa MCL has continued collaborations with key industry players such as Condura, ST Micro, Microchip, Ampleon, and government agencies for applied research in engineering, environmental studies, communication, and technology innovation. These partnerships provide platforms for capacity-building, resource sharing, and diverse research experiences for the faculty members and students.
Mapúa MCL remains consistent in fostering a supportive research environment by offering incentives, mentorship, and structured training programs for faculty members, academic administrators, and students.
“Research deepens the academic experience by honing critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation skills. For students, engaging in research strengthens employability and prepares them for industry requirements, graduate studies, or entrepreneurial pursuits. For faculty members, research enhances teaching effectiveness, enriches course content, and strengthens professional credibility. Collectively, these efforts elevate the institution’s academic reputation, allowing Mapúa MCL to position itself as a leading institution in CALABARZON and the global academic community,” the RPCO director added.
Asked about Mapúa MCL’s plans to solidify its status as an emerging research hub among private schools in the region, Articona generously listed exciting initiatives in the pipeline for the institution.
“Mapúa MCL aims to further expand its research ecosystem by introducing flagship research particularly on sustainable agriculture, eco-informatics, sustainable emerging technology, water studies, and business analytics. We aim to align our research to the Harmonized Regional R&D Agenda (HRRDA) released by DOST CALABARZON to further impact the region through research. We are also scaling up our research presence to penetrate world rankings like Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Times Higher Education (THE), and World University Ranking for Innovation (WURI). Our long-term plan is to boost our research centers, establish an IP Management Office, and Technical Business Incubation (TBI) Hub. The goal is to increase the industry-linked research initiatives and to develop more community-based research addressing CALABARZON’s socio-economic challenges. These initiatives collectively position Mapúa MCL as a rising research hub in the region,” Articona shared.
Mapúa MCL newly ranked this 2025 in the WURI Global Top 400 Innovative Universities (286th) and ranked 24th in the A6: Ethics and Integrity category, 36th in B6: Infrastructure/Technologies, and 26th in B7: Cost-Benefit Management. It has also ranked in the prestigious THE Impact Rankings 2025. Mapúa MCL previously earned an overall rating of three stars from the QS Stars Rating 2024.
Established in 2014, the Mapúa MCL RPCO aims to support the vision to embed research as a core pillar of its academic philosophy and position the institution as an emerging center of excellence in research and extension in the fields of Engineering, Environment, Computer Systems and Information Technology, Business, Maritime, Multimedia Arts, Communication, Health Sciences and Aviation for building robust communities in the CALABARZON region.