VSU invests in future leadership through 4-day succession planning workshop

Visayas State University (VSU) brought together key officials from all its campuses for a four-day seminar-workshop on succession planning, held from July 28 to 31, 2025 at the Center for Continuing Education (CCE). 

The event focused on preparing the university for long-term continuity by identifying and developing potential leaders across different levels of the institution. It also provided space for reflecting on VSU’s leadership needs in the coming years, especially as the university grows its academic programs, research efforts, and community-based services.

The sessions were led by Dr. Fe Jennifer B. Perez, a seasoned Human Resource and Organizational Development Consultant who has worked with government agencies, private institutions, and higher education organizations.

Dr. Perez guided the participants through both technical and reflective exercises ranging from leadership profiling, organizational assessment, and scenario planning, to strategic placement and coaching mechanisms. 

For VSU President Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes, the workshop is not just a planning activity, but a statement of where VSU wants to go.

“We cannot rely on chance or good timing when it comes to leadership. We need to prepare. This is about taking responsibility for the future of VSU and giving our people space to grow into the roles they may one day take,” President Yepes said in her message.

By involving Vice Presidents, Chancellors, Directors, Deans, and Heads from VSU’s main and component campuses, the workshop created an awareness of succession as a continuous process that needs to be built deliberately.

What made the sessions especially meaningful was their focus on people. Dr. Perez challenged participants to reflect not only on who might be next in line, but also on what kind of workplace culture allows potential leaders to emerge and thrive.

Beyond producing output documents, the workshop sparked important conversations about how VSU can become more proactive in preparing for leadership transitions. These include formalizing succession policies, setting up talent pipelines, and institutionalizing performance and potential reviews.

The Human Resource Management and Development Office (HRMDO) brought up the need to re-examine workload structures, job descriptions, and promotion pathways to make leadership more accessible and sustainable for emerging professionals in the university.

As VSU continues to grow, the work of preparing its people to lead has taken on new urgency. This workshop is one step in that direction, a deliberate move to take care of the university’s future by starting with its present.

This article is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education; SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, and; SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

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