Marcos launches Education Philippines program to attract foreign students

President Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order No. 124 on September 8, formally creating the Education Philippines (EduPhil) program to boost the country's appeal among foreign scholars and students. The initiative seeks to leverage the Philippine higher education system's capabilities to attract international enrollment across undergraduate, postgraduate, and professional training programs.

Under the new framework, the Philippine government intends to strengthen academic cooperation between local and foreign educational institutions while fostering research collaborations that benefit both domestic and international participants. The program also emphasizes innovation partnerships as a key component to enhance the competitiveness of Philippine universities on the regional and global stage.

The executive order reflects the administration's broader strategy to position the Philippines as a knowledge hub in Southeast Asia. By attracting international students and researchers, the country aims to generate economic benefits through tuition fees and living expenses while elevating the profile of its tertiary education sector.

Education officials are expected to develop implementation guidelines and institutional support mechanisms to ensure the program's success. The initiative builds on existing strengths in Philippine higher education while addressing infrastructure and regulatory requirements to accommodate increased international enrollment.