The Far Eastern University Public Policy Center (FEU PPC) is launching a seminar series on regulating higher education in Makati City. The series, which will begin on July 30, will bring together policy, economics, and education experts to discuss the regulatory challenges affecting Philippine higher education. The inaugural session, “The Economic Bases of Regulating Higher Education,” will be led by Dr. Michael M. Alba, President of FEU PPC and Edgardo J. Angara Fellowship Awardee, who has reshaped discourse on sectoral autonomy and market forces in education reform.

A distinguished panel of thought leaders will join Dr. Alba:

  • Dr. Philip Arnold P. Tuaño, President of the Philippine Institute for Development  Studies and former Dean of the Ateneo School of Government, brings deep  expertise in policy and governance
  • Dr. Emmanuel S. De Dios, Professor Emeritus at the UP School of Economics and FEU PPC Board Member, with decades of scholarship in economics and policy analysis
  • Dr. Vicente K. Fabella, President of Jose Rizal University and Chair of the Policy Committee at the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities, offers practical insights from the private education sector.
  • Dr. Maria Cynthia Rose B. Bautista, EDCom II Advisory Council Member and former  CHED Commissioner, is contributing her extensive experience in education policy and innovation.

This series arrives at a pivotal moment for Philippine higher education, which faces mounting pressure to address the country’s long-standing learning crisis while balancing quality assurance, equitable access, and private-public complementarity. The FEU PPC aims for the discussions to examine how a regulatory-economics framework – one that aligns national aspirations, delivery constraints, stakeholder incentives, and the diverse contexts of higher education – can support the attainment of the aspired-for outcomes in higher education.

“Public discourse on education has thus far sidestepped the governance-outcomes nexus. It is high time that the country adopted a holistic, systemic perspective that clearly articulates national goals and holds an independent regulator accountable for driving higher education outcomes toward realizing these goals,” said Dr. Alba.

The seminar is open to educators, policymakers, academic administrators, and members of the public interested in shaping meaningful reform. The FEU PPC encourages participation through its official channels, where registration and event updates are available.

Through this initiative, the FEU PPC continues to strengthen its role as a hub for policy dialogue – creating platforms where evidence-based analysis and inclusive engagement can shape the future of Philippine education.