West Visayas State University (WVSU) has been officially approved as a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), following the endorsement of its Networks Strategy Council on December 15, 2025.
The milestone affirms WVSU’s sustained commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through research, instruction, policy engagement, and community-based initiatives.
Dr. Louis Placido F. Lachica, WVSU UN SDSN Focal Person, said the membership enhances the university’s role in promoting evidence-based, inclusive, and locally grounded solutions to development challenges. He added that it also opens wider opportunities for international collaboration toward building sustainable and resilient communities.
The three-month application process was completed through close collaboration with Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Ma. Asuncion Christine V. Dequilla and University Planning and Development Office Director Dr. Reymund B. Flores. According to Dr. Lachica, the approval reflects WVSU’s strong and comprehensive institutional portfolio and its consistent engagement in sustainable development initiatives.
The SDSN is a global network of more than 2,000 institutions worldwide that promote high-quality education and research for sustainable development, support governments in addressing SDG-related challenges, and initiate solution-oriented programs, including long-term development pathways.
In 2022, the university, through the International and Local Linkages Office (ILLO), formally promoted the inclusion of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals in the objectives, posters, banners or tarpaulins, programs, and invitations of all WVSU activities and events. This initiative applied to academic, extension, research, and student-led programs across colleges, campuses, and units.
Under the policy, organizers are encouraged to explicitly state the applicable SDG or SDGs in the objectives of their activities and visibly integrate the official SDG logos in all information and promotional materials. The move aimed to deepen awareness of the 17 interlinked global goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a blueprint for achieving a more sustainable and inclusive future by 2030.
With its inclusion in the SDSN, WVSU strengthens its position in the global sustainability community and reinforces its commitment to contributing knowledge-driven solutions for inclusive and sustainable development.
Day: December 15, 2025
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WVSU earns membership in Global UN SDSN Network
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WVSU trains student leaders on compassion-centered leadership and communication
Student leaders from West Visayas State University took part in a values-centered leadership training aimed at strengthening ethical leadership, responsible communication, and empathy in campus governance during a Dec. 13, 2025 session at the WVSU College of Communication TV Laboratory.
Titled “Beyond Authority: Nurturing Compassionate and Communicative Leadership in the University Student Council,” the activity gathered officers from the University Student Council and other student support groups. The session focused on how student leaders can responsibly exercise freedom of expression while fostering trust, harmony, and inclusivity within the WVSU community.
Discussions emphasized compassion- and faith-informed leadership as essential to effective student representation, particularly in navigating diverse perspectives and responsibilities on campus.
The morning session featured Rev. Fr. John Tadifa, rector of St. Vincent Ferrer Seminary, who spoke on “Leadership with Compassion, Anchored with the Teachings of the Lord.” In the afternoon, Rev. Fr. Eugene D. Lucerna II, dean of studies and director of human formation at St. Joseph Regional Seminary, discussed “Compassionate Leader and Communicator.”
Organizers said the initiative sought to equip student leaders not only with practical leadership skills, but also with moral integrity and empathy as they serve and represent the WVSU student body.
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