Padayon UP opens call for papers for 6th public service conference
QUEZON CITY, March 2, 2026—The Padayon UP Public Service Office, the public service arm of the University of the Philippines, is now accepting individual or panel paper submissions for the 6th Colleges and Universities Public Service Conference (CUPSCon6), which will take place from September 23 to 25.
With the theme “Impact in Action: Institutionalizing Research-Driven Public Service for a Sustainable Nation,” CUPSCon will once again bring together practitioners, researchers, and scholars specializing in public service to share and discuss their research on collaborative, inclusive, and responsive initiatives that address global and local challenges.
The conference is open to all interested participants from public and private Higher Education Institutions, national government agencies, local government units, civil society organizations, people’s organizations, and the private sector, with public service research that incorporates one or a combination of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, addressing, but not limited to, the following sub-themes:
- From Knowledge to Social Action
- Sustainable solutions to real-world problems
- Knowledge mobilization, extension, and science communication
- Integrating sustainability and civic responsibility into curricula
- Community Engagement
- Co-creating solutions with local marginalized sectors and indigenous communities
- Service learning, volunteerism, outreach, and participatory research
- Universities as anchor institutions for sustainable development
- Public Policy, Governance, and Partnerships
- Evidence-based policymaking for sustainability
- University partnerships with government and public institutions
- Research informing climate, environmental, and social policy
- Technology, Innovation, and Social Entrepreneurship
- Sustainable technologies and innovations emerging from higher education
- Living labs, incubators, and public-interest technologies
- Scaling solutions through cross-sector collaboration
- Equity, Inclusion, and Social Justice
- Just transitions and fair sustainability pathways
- Environmental and Climate Justice and Advocacy
- Decolonization and Indigenous Knowledge
- Gender, Youth, Disability, and Intersectionality
- Institutional Leadership and University Transformation
- Sustainability in university governance and operations
- Incentives, metrics, and culture for public-service-oriented research
- Best practices in sustainability
- Global Challenges, Local Actions
- Aligning university public service with the SDGs
- Comparative a nd international perspectives
- Responding to climate change, health, and social crises across contexts
Full paper submissions are open until 12 June 2026. You may submit your papers here.
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About CUPSCon
The Colleges and Universities Public Service Conference (CUPSCon) is a biennial three-day conference organized by the Padayon UP Public Service Office. CUPSCon is the only academic conference specifically aimed at engaging discussions on public service and initiatives from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), and their partnerships with the government, private sector, and civil society. By highlighting projects that bridge the gap between academic research and community impact, CUPSCon serves as a vital platform for sharing research and best practices in delivering sustainable public service, demonstrating how HEIs contribute to the national agenda for sustainable development.
About Padayon UP
Padayon UP is the public service arm of the University of the Philippines System, operating under the Office of the Vice President for Public Affairs.
Established in 2012, it serves as the central hub for coordinating, monitoring, and documenting public service efforts across all constituent universities to ensure they are visible, understandable, and documented. Its mission is to broaden the scope of university service—encompassing voluntary efforts, academic scholarship, and technical expertise—to effectively respond to the needs of the government, private sector, and civil society. The office is mandated to translate complex initiatives into clear stories for broader dissemination, manage institutional memory, and recommend policies to enable the system-wide replication of successful programs.
Ultimately, Padayon UP serves as a strategic and creative hub, positioning the University as a premier public service institution dedicated to national development and the common good.
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