The World Research and Innovation Festival (WRIF) 2025 successfully gathered researchers, educators, and professionals from across the globe, hosted by West Visayas State University (WVSU) in collaboration with its co-host institutions.
This year’s festival, themed “Transforming Education for a Sustainable Future: Innovation, Equity, and Citizenship,” featured the International Conference for Education and Social Sciences (ICESS) as the festival’s fourth conference.
ICESS had the most number of abstracts submitted at 243 of which 10 were chosen as best papers.
𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙆𝙚𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙎𝙥𝙚𝙚𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨
The festival commenced with an opening program led by Dr. John Erwin P. Pedroso, WRIF ICESS convenor, and Dr. Joselito F. Villaruz, WVSU president. Their messages emphasized the critical role of research and collaboration in advancing education and sustainability.
Performances from the Irong-Irong Dance Company also added entertainment and cultural flair to the event.
The plenary sessions featured distinguished speakers, including Dr. Warren Sim Wan Jie from Universiti Kuala Lumpur, Dr. Kew Si Na from Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and Dr. Ana H. Marty from Florida State University.
These experts shared valuable insights on integrating innovation and equity into educational practices, inspiring participants to drive change in their respective fields.
𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙋𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨
The heart of WRIF ICESS 2025 was the series of parallel research presentations, divided into the following thematic breakout rooms:
• Innovation for Sustainability
• Equitable Access to Education
• Technology & Learning
• Education Beyond Frontiers
• Sustainability in Curriculum
• Educational Literacy
• Education for Informed Action
• School Initiatives & Inspirations
These sessions showcased diverse research topics, from advancing technology in education to promoting inclusive learning and sustainable practices, fostering academic discourse and collaboration.
𝘼𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜
Before the awarding of certificates, Dr. John Erwin P. Pedroso read an official statement apologizing for the inconvenience caused by the unexpected internet and power outages that disrupted the WRIF 2025 virtual experience.
The festival concluded with a virtual awarding ceremony led by Dr. Roberto G. Sagge Jr., associate professor of the College of Education, recognizing outstanding research contributions and the top 10 best papers.
Dr. Ma. Asuncion Christine V. Dequilla, vice president for Academic Affairs, delivered the closing remarks, emphasizing the festival’s commitment to fostering a global research community.
“By embracing innovation, championing equity, and fostering a sense of global citizenship, [together] we can create an educational landscape that in a way meets today’s needs and at the same time paves the way for a brighter and more sustainable future,” said Dequilla.
𝘼 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙥 𝙏𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨 𝙖 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙁𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚
WRIF 2025 reaffirmed its mission of harnessing research and innovation to build a sustainable and inclusive future. With the success of this year’s festival, WVSU and its partners continue to inspire transformative education and global collaboration, driving positive change for generations to come.
By JA Temelo/PAMCO, with resources from World Research and Innovation Festival
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