September 4, 2026
PANABO CITY — Davao del Norte State College joined state universities and colleges from across the country in the 3rd SUCs Executive Forum on Governance, Collaborative Leadership, Digital Innovation, and Institutional Excellence, held September 1–3, at the University of Rizal System–Morong Campus.
Anchored on the theme, “HIUSA 2026: Building Smart SUCs through Collaborative Leadership, Digital Innovation, and Institutional Excellence”, the three-day forum gathered SUCs under the supervision of Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Commissioner Desiderio R. Apag III to strengthen executive-level dialogue, promote peer learning, and advance collaborative approaches to institutional governance.
Representing DNSC were College President Joy M. Sorrosa, Vice President for Academic Affairs Ma. Melanie N. Ed, Vice President for Administration and Finance Reir Erlinda E. Cutad, Director for Presidential Affairs Melissa G. Dalumay, and Board Secretary Jeremy B. Barnido.
The forum provided an avenue to review the accomplishments and commitments established during the first and second SUCs Executive Fora while identifying strategic priorities and areas for continued collaboration among participating institutions. Other discussions included the sharing and harmonization of Board protocols and institutional practices, updates on Certificates of Program Compliance (COPC) and accreditation, and developments concerning SUC levelling and universityhood.
A key highlight was the launching of the SMART SUCs 2030 Framework, which sets a collaborative direction for SUCs toward smarter, more responsive, and digitally enabled institutions.
The framework emphasized the adoption of digital governance, paperless systems, and electronic document management, alongside the sharing of institutional innovations and best practices. Participating SUCs were also tasked to develop initial institutional action plans aligned with the framework.
The forum sought to build stronger institutional connections through the establishment of a SMART SUCs Collaborative Network. The activity culminated in the adoption of the SMART SUCs Declaration, signifying the participating institutions’ collective commitment to advancing governance, digital innovation, collaborative leadership, and institutional excellence.
