Why It Matters
Utah Valley University in Utah is building academic bridges across the Pacific, teaming up with multiple Philippine institutions to advance artificial intelligence education, hands-on research, and professional skill development. The initiative puts UVU students in working research roles rather than purely observational ones.
What Happened
UVU has formalized ties with three Philippine institutions: De La Salle University – College of Saint Benilde, Far Eastern University, and the Polytechnic University of the Philippines-Lopez campus. Faculty representing three departments — Social and Behavioral Sciences, English, and Information Systems and Technology — are working together on a cross-disciplinary investigation into how AI is reshaping social structures, educational systems, and technological environments.
Dr. Carl Canlas, an assistant professor in UVU’s Information Systems and Technology Department, is steering the effort. A joint study involving faculty and students from both countries has been launched to understand how AI tools are adopted and perceived at partner institutions, capturing the perspectives of instructors, administrative staff, and enrolled students alike.
Yi Yin, Ph.D., an assistant professor at UVU serving as project lead, said the design of the program is intentional: “We want students to participate in every stage of the process.” UVU students will be responsible for gathering and interpreting data, drafting reports, and building AI-centered instructional resources for their Philippine university partners to use.
The partnership extends into cybersecurity as well. In May, Ben Payne — a UVU graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in cybersecurity — traveled to the Philippines and provided direct assistance to Tahanan Walang Hagdan Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting people with physical disabilities. Payne worked to shore up the nonprofit’s website defenses and put safeguards in place against online fraud targeting the organization.
By the Numbers
- 40 students have participated in the COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) program, which connects UVU classrooms with courses at Philippine universities
- 3 academic departments at UVU are involved in the research collaboration
- 3 Philippine universities are active partners in the initiative
- 1 UNESCO Chair at UVU, dedicated to AI and Environmental Stewardship for Sustainable Futures, provides institutional backing for the international work
Zoom Out
Across the United States, universities are moving to give AI education an international dimension as demand for graduates with applied AI skills intensifies. Collaborative research models that require students to work on live problems — rather than simulated exercises — have gained favor among institutions looking to differentiate their programs.
Utah has demonstrated a statewide appetite for AI integration at multiple levels. State officials have separately moved to deploy AI tools to approximately 680,000 students across Utah’s K–12 system, positioning the state as an active participant in national efforts to build AI literacy from early education through university graduation.
International academic partnerships focused on technology have also drawn interest from federal policymakers as the U.S. looks to shape global norms around AI development and use.
What’s Next
The multi-university AI study is ongoing, with UVU students expected to continue gathering data from Philippine partner campuses and producing research outputs that those institutions can draw on independently. No date has been set for formal publication of findings.
Kelsey Hixson-Bowles, Ph.D., an assistant professor at UVU involved in the collaboration, described the broader educational philosophy driving the model: “Students aren’t just studying concepts in a classroom. They’re conducting research, collaborating across cultures, solving problems.” The COIL program and faculty exchange visits are anticipated to continue as relationships with partner campuses deepen.