The University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) proudly celebrates a remarkable research feat as its faculty researchers earned the Best Paper and Best Poster recognitions during the 1st Davao Sustainable Futures Conference (DSFC) 2025, held on October 29–30, 2025 at Grand Regal Hotel, Davao City.

The conference, organized by the Philippine Association of State Universities and Colleges XI (PASUC XI) together with six SUCs in the Davao Region, namely the Davao del Sur State College (DSSC), Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU), Davao de Oro State College (DDOSC), Davao del Norte State College (DNSC), University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP), and Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology (SPAMAST), served as a collaborative platform for scholars and innovators to present research anchored on futures thinking, foresight, and sustainable development.

USeP’s winning entries were both featured under the thematic area Futures of Education, highlighting the University’s strong commitment to future-ready learning systems, inclusive approaches, and evidence-based reforms in the education landscape.

Representing USeP at this milestone event, Dr. Mildin J. Retutas from the College of Teacher Education and Technology (CTET), presented the paper titled “Mediating Effect of Psychosocial Attributes on the Mathematics Achievement of Science, Technology, and Engineering (STE) Students”, co-authored with Dr. Steve G. Zacal, which earned the Best Paper award. Their study provides compelling insights on how psychosocial attributes, such as motivation, self-efficacy, and learning dispositions, help shape mathematics performance among STE learners, a critical consideration for strengthening the future of STEM education.

Adding to this triumph, Ms. Mariche C. Llanto from the College of Education (CEd) also secured the Best Poster recognition with her study titled “An Activity Theory Analysis of the University’s Efforts to Create an Inclusive Environment for Deaf Students.” Her work magnifies the importance of institutional systems, learning environments, and policy responsiveness in enabling inclusive education, reinforcing how futures thinking must be anchored on equity, access, and holistic educational transformation.

These achievements reinforce the University’s commitment to producing research that is transformative and future-oriented research that does not only fill gaps in literature, but also guides decision-making, pedagogy, and innovation in the real world.

As USeP continues to move forward in its vision as a Premier Research University transforming communities in the ASEAN and beyond, it remains steadfast in nurturing scholars who push boundaries and elevate discourse through committed, passionate, and purpose-driven research.