DLSU President Br. Bernard Oca FSC and other University officials looked back on an academic year marked by adaptation to a rapidly shifting, post-AI education landscape, while also laying out plans for the coming year, during this year’s University General Assembly (UGA).
The UGA 2026 first began with a eucharistic celebration at the Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament presided by Fr. Alejandro Mijangos LC, before the program proper kicked off with Provost Dr. Robert Roleda taking the stage to report on the University’s various accomplishments from Academic Year (AY) 2025-2026.
Milestones and accomplishments
Roleda first reported that the University had seen a surge in first-year students, rising from 4,309 enrolled students in AY 2025-2026 to 5,379 in AY 2026-2027.
He attributed the increase to the earlier release of University admission results, as well as its adoption of recommendations from the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to redesign the redirection process and scholarship program, the latter of which now “not only reach[es] the D and E income level, but also the C income level,” he said.
DLSU announced a partnership with BCG on July 21, 2026, establishing the “Lunsad Committee,” which aims to improve the University’s organizational structure. He then highlighted the University’s 12 new programs focused on sustainability, data science, and artificial intelligence, alongside various accreditations from the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities and other accreditation entities.
Roleda also said that the University’s digitalization effort has “borne fruit,” marked by the rollout of Archers Hub and its “relatively smooth” implementation. The continued digitalization will be followed by a new Human Resource Information System. “Project Lunsad” will also spearhead a review of the University’s processes and organizational structure, as well as further digitalization efforts.
Senior Vice President Kai Shan Fernandez, meanwhile, highlighted the University’s environmental and technological advancements. She reported that the University’s Manila Campus transitioned to 100-percent clean renewable energy. Meanwhile, in the Laguna Campus, she reiterated the Enrique K. Razon Jr. Hall’s and University Hall’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certifications, which recognized structures that promote sustainable and innovative design.
Fernandez also celebrated the University’s five-Star Plus Rating in the ASEAN University Network’s Healthy University Rating System, the highest level of achievement an institution can attain for health promotion and well-being in the ranking framework, which DLSU received in November 2025.
She ended her speech with a roadmap for the University’s coming Technology-Enabled Student Engagement Model, an AI-supported framework for University Support Systems by Project Lunsad. Fernandez emphasized that AI must still comply with privacy and risk management standards and that it is not a replacement for human support.
No longer 1975
The assembly culminated with University President Br. Bernard Oca FSC congratulating the University’s 42 newly hired faculty members and celebrating the rise in enrollment numbers, including 226 new graduate school students and 1,822 students for the Integrated School.
He recalled the University’s Golden Jubilee celebrated in 2025, which marked 50 years since DLSU received university status, and highlighted the establishment of the University’s first AI Policy.
Other than adapting to AI, Oca identified the new Challenge-Based Learning curriculum as the University’s “best bet” for future-proofing Lasallian Education, citing its new offerings, increased enrollees, and rapid growth.
The Lasallian Brother then announced that the University hit a milestone of 10,000 publications on Scopus, highlighting that DLSU generated 10 percent of all research outputs across all disciplines. He further stated that the University had initiated certification for ISO21001, the international standard for Educational Organizations Management Systems.
Oca raised important issues facing the University: he warned of potential challenges caused by college chains and conglomerate-backed institutions. The Lasallian brother cautioned that technology-enabled learning, coupled with affordable tuition rates, could present serious competition for DLSU, sharing that, “We at DLSU no longer hold a monopoly on excellent value-based learning.”
While educational quality has improved across the country, he mentioned that this has also meant increased competition over quality students and faculty. He shared that DLSU has two must-win battles in the next school year: the success of Project Lunsad, which aims to build a technology-enabled and unified student engagement model, and the Ministry Innovation in Lasallian education, or Project MILES.
Oca ended his speech by hoping that the university would succeed in its various goals and in its mission of cultivating a community of leaders that will transform the University.