For a century, Mapúa University has cemented its position from being one of the country’s premier engineering and technological universities to becoming one of the world’s best schools.  

Recognized for research and its cutting-edge curriculum, Mapúa’s achievements are a testament to its unwavering commitment to academic excellence and innovation. As the university draws closer to its centennial, it continues its story of educational achievement by introducing new programs, industry-leading studies, novel learning tools, and milestones.  

“The legacy that Mapúa has built since 1925 is the result of our collective efforts to gain local and international recognition. The same efforts allow our educators to empower learners from all walks of life, in building pathways to promising careers”, Dr. Dodjie S. Maestrecampo, Mapúa president and chief executive officer, said at the media launch last October 17 at the Mapúa Cardinal Cinema in Makati.  

From its humble beginnings with just 75 students in 1925, Mapúa has grown into a thriving institution with thousands of learners today. Its influence in the education sector has also expanded significantly through its campuses in Makati, Laguna, and Davao, and of course its main campus in Intramuros.  

Additionally, the program offerings grew from two engineering and architecture courses in its infancy, to over 70 undergraduate degrees, more than 50 graduate programs, a senior high school, and a wide selection of short courses for working adults. 

While recognized for its strength in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields, the institution has likewise expanded to programs including business, health sciences, and media studies.   

In 2022, Mapúa realized its vision of becoming one of the best universities in the world when it debuted in the 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking (WUR), along with three other Philippine universities. It also continues to be a Quacquarelli Symonds 4-Star institution, joining the top 100 universities in Southeast Asia. 

While these global recognitions have solidified Mapúa’s standing in the global arena, the 99-year-old institution pursues the transformative power of education to pioneer industry-aligned programs and leverage digital education to enhance the overall learning experience of students.  

To meet the demands of a rapidly evolving job market, Mapúa introduced new programs that align with the ever-growing industry demand such as energy engineering, data science, game development, financial technology, and business intelligence and analytics. These programs ensure that students are equipped with the specialized skills and knowledge necessary to launch successful careers anywhere in the world. This October, Mapúa, along with its sister schools Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao, achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first school system in the Philippines to receive Quality Matters (QM) certification for select online courses. This recognition signifies that the schools’ online offerings have met the highest standards of quality and innovation.

“As industries continue to evolve so are the bachelor programs that we offer. Our new programs are designed to grow the technically competent and agile workforce that industries need. We ensure that students develop future-proof skills that can be easily applied to any work site. This strategy is why Mapúa graduates are highly preferred by employers and excel in board exams – in the last two decades, we’ve had over 400 topnotchers. They have industry-relevant hard skills and exceptional soft skills,” said Dr. Lilibeth Sabino, Mapúa executive vice president for Academic Affairs.  

In 2024, Mapúa’s vision of making quality education accessible to all gave birth to two philanthropic learning resources: Mapúa Snippets (a channel that contains free interactive micro-videos to enrich English and Math for elementary students) and STEMTeach (a free and fully online professional development initiative designed for junior and senior high school STEM teachers). Both Snippets and STEMTeach are on the new MapúaX platform that houses various online courses and micro credentials for lifelong learners. 

The institution’s efforts to expand its brand of excellence in the fields of medicine, health sciences and business were realized in 2022 with Mapúa’s collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU). It launched programs in Health Sciences, Nursing and Business in 2023 followed by programs for working professionals such as Master in Business Administration, Master of Arts in Psychology, and Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Management in 2024.  

The collaboration further enabled the university to utilize ASU’s partnership with OpenAI which led to its seamless integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance student success, streamline processes, and open new research opportunities, setting a new standard for education.  

Sabino added that students are trained to maximize AI through cutting-edge modules like Basic Prompt Engineering with ChatGPT, and Scripting ChatGPT with Python so that they will eventually be competent enough to create their own AI tools. 

It continues to strengthen its collaboration with ASU by acquiring the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) approval for its first transnational higher education (TNHE) programs. This endorsement enables students to earn double degrees or guarantees advance entry into an ASU master’s program. 

Meanwhile, Mapúa expanded assets including a new canteen and clinic in the Intramuros campus, state-of-the-art digital classrooms in collaboration with Cisco, and the soon-to-open Medicine wing in the Mapúa-Arizona State University Human Health Learning and Innovation Center in the Makati campus.  

Mapúa’s historic milestones herald another new chapter for the premier comprehensive university as it sets its sights on an even grander vision of becoming a global leader in education that shall foster sustainable socio-economic growth in society through innovation, digital transformation, and lifelong education. Through the use of more advanced educational technologies, novel degree programs and international collaborations and accreditations, the institution aims to lead more generations of learners towards successful future-proof careers.