One of the persistent challenges in tertiary education is bringing industry learning closer to students, allowing them to see textbook theories applied in real-world settings and preparing them more effectively for professional practice.

In a landmark partnership, Batangas State University (BatStateU), The National Engineering University, and Aboitiz Economic Estates have taken a major step toward addressing this gap. Together, they officially launched the BatStateU LIMA Campus on Nov. 11, 2025, establishing a benchmark for education–industry collaboration. This initiative introduces a transformative model that places students at the heart of an active industrial environment situated within one of the country’s leading hubs for innovation.

LIMA (Lipa-Malvar) Estate, a 1,000-hectare Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)--registered Special Economic Zone in Lipa-Malvar, Batangas, is home to 200 locators and 75,000 employees. It is the largest privately owned industrial estate in the Philippines and features a 70-hectare commercial district with commercial lots, retail spaces, offices, residences, dormitories, institutional facilities, hospitality services, and a transport terminal. Situated at the core of this thriving estate, the BatStateU LIMA Campus will offer industry-based engineering programs for both undergraduate and graduate students, including BS Aerospace Engineering, BS Biomedical Engineering, and a PhD in Electronics Engineering.

In an interview with Manila Bulletin Lifestyle, Rafael Fernandez de Mesa, president and CEO of Aboitiz Economic Estates and Aboitiz Land, shared that the company donated 10 hectares of land for the construction of the new campus.

“The idea is by placing the education facility within the LIMA Estate it will have easy access for the rest of the components within the estate which are anchored in the industry that include manufacturing but it’s not limited to that,” he said.

Set to welcome its first batch of students in August 2026, the campus is envisioned as a “living classroom,” where learners gain real-time exposure to industry operations and applications. Through curriculum co-development, simulation-based training, and on-the-job immersion embedded within the estate’s ecosystem, the campus aims to cultivate technical expertise, an innovation mindset, and hands-on experience, skills vital in today’s rapidly evolving economy.

“At Aboitiz Economic Estates, the possibilities are boundless,” said Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto during the launch. “Here, your investments will not only grow—they will thrive and succeed, powered by education, a supportive government, and strong collective partnerships that shape our province’s continued growth and shared prosperity.”

Meanwhile, BatStateU president Dr. Tirso Ronquillo emphasized that the curriculum and opportunities offered at the LIMA Campus will be unique to this branch. He also noted that the university will accept qualified students from across the country and abroad.

“Our current students across our branches are from 50 different provinces. In LIMA Campus, every student across the country will enjoy the benefit of high-quality education without paying any tuition fee,” he shared. “We also have foreign students here. Maybe the things they will be bothered about are housing, allowance, and food.”

While the full campus infrastructure is still underway, the university will open with a limited number of slots and 10 initial course offerings in its first semester next year. The curriculum will also include foreign language training in Mandarin and Nihongo to better prepare students for global opportunities.

“We even teach students industrial orientation to teach them to become the future business leaders, like CEO and managers,” he said. “The programs offered here are only engineering and technology.”

The launch of the BatStateU LIMA Campus stands as a national model for how government, academia, and the private sector can work together not only to build careers but to strengthen the country's innovation capacity and talent pipeline.

“What we are celebrating today is not just the opening of a new campus. At Aboitiz Economic Estates, we've always believed that development must go beyond infrastructure. Progress is not about building estates, it's about building ecosystems that connect business, government, and education to create long-term opportunity,” Rafael ended.