Beyond Sustainability: Positioning Regenerative Futures in a Philippine State University

Abstract

This paper presents the conceptual framework for positioning a government-funded higher education institution (HEI)in the Philippines as a regenerative university. It grounds the notion that academia should rethink and redefine Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through regenerative development and futures thinking. While Davao Oriental is home to a rich biological, social, and cultural heritage, this paper outlines how an academic institution can contribute to its protection, conservation, management, and regeneration. The end goal is to mainstream regenerative futures in the university’s four-fold functions: instruction, research, extension, and production. Consequently, the paradigm shift aims to influence local communities to engage in a shared regenerative future that would equally benefit the environment and human societies.