CHED partners with APC in launching CHEDx 2023 to foster collaboration in advancing IT education

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in partnership with Asia Pacific College (APC) launched today its first ever IT summit, CHEDx 2023, to bring the IT and IT-BPM sector together with the academe and strengthen the collaborative efforts towards students’ work readiness and skill-backed employability.

CHEDx 2023 is a two-day summit attended by graduating IT students, faculty, and administrators of higher education institutions across the country to encourage curriculum alignment to the new workplace, nurture industry-ready graduates for the ever evolving digital landscape, and forge partnerships between industry and HEIs to help decrease the skills gap.

In his keynote address, CHED Chairman Popoy De Vera emphasized the need of PHEIs to adapt and satisfy the demands of the new work environment that is undergoing profound changes spurred by technological advancements.

“The massive technological advancements such as the rapid integration of applications of analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), automation, cybersecurity, and IoT challenge us to reevaluate education, workforce readiness, and societal progress,” De Vera said.

“The academe, especially our HEIs, needs to develop a deeper commitment to the call of industry and generate graduates who are attuned to technology, with innovation as a skill, and who use technology for good,” he added.

CHEDx 2023 featured a distinguished lineup of experts and thought leaders from the IT industry and higher education sector that will share insights and experiences as guides through the intricacies of this technological revolution.

On Day 1, the summit will feature talks on IT Skills Development, IT Certification Roadmap, Cybersecurity, Education and Innovation, Technology Trends in Audit and Finance, Cloud Technology, and AI.

On Day 2, it will tackle The Role of Higher Education in Fostering Trustworthy AI, Cloud: The Great Enabler, Analytics and Sustainability, Young Leaders in IT, Climate Watch and Sustainability, as well as presentations from the Contact Center Association of the Philippines, Game Developers Association of the Philippines, Philippine Software Industry Association, Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines, Animation Council of the Philippines, and Global In-House Center Council of the Philippines.

Speed mentoring sessions were also conducted by the Contact Center Association of the Philippines, in order to help the student participants to receive one-on-one guidance from mentors in the IT industry.

Aside from the talks, CHEDx 2023 also has an exciting exhibit area, featuring companies such as Globe Telecom, IBM, East West Education Specialists, Accenture, Alibaba, Kroll, Techfactors, TTEC, Lumify, Pineda Cybersecurity Systems, Probe, Concentrix, Inspiro, IGT Solutions, Acquire MicroSourcing, Tech Mahindra, as well as institutions that are Centers of Excellence in IT such as Asia Pacific College, National University, Technological Institute of the Philippines-Quezon City, and UP Los Baños.

With the support of CHED, the summit also aims to forward recommendations for possible policy direction  in terms of the digital transformation of Philippine higher education.

CHEDx 2023 is the first step towards bringing together the academe, industry, and government for more responsive curricula, better development of graduates, and collaborative efforts to generate a vibrant and skilled workforce.

“Hopefully, this will just be the first of many summits in the years to come, as our country and the world at large continues to evolve with technology,” De Vera said.

The summit will start today took place last November 23-24, 2023, at SM Megatrade Halls 2 & 3, SM Megamall B, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila.