15 Aug 2025

SLSU holds an open dialogue in 'SLSyoUsap Tayo' Faculty and Staff Conference 2025

Southern Leyte State University (SLSU) has once again opened its doors to meaningful dialogue and collaborative leadership through the second year of its flagship faculty and staff conference, "SLSyoUsap Tayo: A Faculty & Staff Conference - Forging Forward", held from August 4–6 & 11, 2025, across all six campuses.

This year's conference adopted a decentralized approach, offering half-day sessions at each of the university's campuses to make the platform more accessible to faculty and administrative personnel across the university system. The series of sessions began on August 4, 2025, with the Hinunangan Campus in the morning and the San Juan Campus in the afternoon, followed by the Bontoc Campus in the morning and the Tomas Oppus Campus in the afternoon on August 5. The Main Campus hosted the morning session on August 6, while the final leg took place at the Maasin City Campus on August 11.

During the President's Address, University President Dr. Jude A. Duarte emphasized that inclusive leadership is not only about listening but also about ensuring that every campus community actively shapes the institution's direction.

The program featured key updates on the evolving educational landscape, including the official launch of Project SOAR (Staff Opportunities for Advancement and Reinforcement), a comprehensive staff development blueprint with tracks in scholarship, leadership, and internationalization. This project aims to elevate the skills, knowledge, and career pathways of SLSU's dedicated personnel, encouraging a culture of continuous learning and growth.

An in-depth discussion on Future-Proofing SLSU through Microcredentialing & Coursera Expansion was also placed to lay out the university's expanded strategic plans for integrating and leveraging microcredentialing and Coursera to enhance student and faculty competencies, addressing the global demand for agile skills.

Additionally, the conference featured detailed updates from the university's academic, administrative, research, and student services sectors, outlining key initiatives, ongoing projects, and strategic priorities for the Academic Year 2025–2026 as part of the institution's roadmap. These presentations provided employees with a clear view of the university's direction, progress, and planned innovations.

Open forums followed, serving as an interactive platform where faculty and staff shared their insights, raised pressing concerns, and proposed actionable solutions. Each concern raised during the discussion was met with concrete and actionable plans from the leadership. This year's SLSyoUsap Tayo ensured that feedback was not only heard but addressed, thereby strengthening the university operations and enhancing service delivery.

Participants concluded each session with the "Commitment Signature", a symbolic show of unity where all participating faculty and staff pledged their collective support for the university's mission, vision, and strategic goals.

The second year of "SLSU Usap Tayo" aligns with multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), underscoring Southern Leyte State University's commitment to global sustainability and social responsibility. The program advances SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by promoting employee wellness and a positive school climate; SDG 4 (Quality Education) through professional development initiatives like micro-credentialing and Coursera; and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by ensuring inclusive, prejudice-free dialogues. It also supports SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) by fostering empowerment and professional growth, SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) through innovative and digital strategies, SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) by ensuring equitable access to consultations, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by strengthening collaborations within and beyond the university community.

SLSU continuously empowers its workforce and is committed to evolving further to meet the demands of modern higher education. With a unified vision and renewed commitment, the university community is set to forge forward—together.

Photos for Main Campus: