The University of Cebu, Inc. (UC), under the visionary leadership of Chairman Atty. Augusto W. Go, officially inked a memorandum of agreement with IBM Philippines on April 22, 2025.
The collaboration with the University of Cebu reflects IBM’s dedication to equip the next generation of Filipino tech talent with the practical skills and knowledge they need to thrive,
Aileen Judan-Jiao
Country General Manager and Technology Leader
IBM Philippines
Through IBM SkillsBuild—IBM’s global digital learning platform—students and faculty will gain free access to over 1,000 curated courses and digital credentials in high-demand areas such as AI fundamentals, prompt writing, AI ethics, and machine learning.
Bridging the Skills Gap
IBM SkillsBuild is designed to help bridge the growing AI skills gap by empowering students with industry-relevant, practical knowledge. The partnership complements UC’s latest offering, the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science with Specialization in Artificial Intelligence (BSCS-AI), set to launch in the 2025–2026 academic year. UC’s campuses in Banilad, Mambaling, Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue, Pardo, and Talisay will all benefit from this initiative.
The collaboration is also closely aligned with UC’s AIInnovation Project, which combines AI fundamentals with practical application to produce job-ready graduates. With an investment of PHP 40 million, the university has developed state-of-the-art facilities including an AIInnovation laboratory, collaborative workspaces, and robotics and VR simulation labs, with the latter to be housed at UCLM.
National and Global Impact
This milestone aligns with IBM’s broader commitment to skill 30 million people globally by 2030—including 2 million in AI by 2026. A study by IBM’s Institute for Business Value revealed that 58% of Philippine CEOs believe their competitiveness depends on advanced AI capabilities. However, 52% still cite a lack of expertise as a key barrier to innovation.
“The collaboration with the University of Cebu reflects IBM’s dedication to equip the next generation of Filipino tech talent with the practical skills and knowledge they need to thrive,” said Aileen Judan-Jiao, Country General Manager and Technology Leader of IBM Philippines. “Through IBM SkillsBuild, we are committed to empowering learners with accessible, industry-relevant training that will prepare them for meaningful careers.”
