Nearly 1,000 engineering freshmen to begin classes at BatStateU-LIMA Campus in August

By Ralph Fajardo Nearly 1,000 engineering freshmen will begin classes at Batangas State University–LIMA Campus this August under an industry...

By Ralph Fajardo

Nearly 1,000 engineering freshmen will begin classes at Batangas State University–LIMA Campus this August under an industry-aligned curriculum.

LIPA CITY, Batangas — Nearly 1,000 incoming engineering students will begin classes this August at the interim Batangas State University–LIMA Campus, marking the first phase of a new industry-based learning initiative inside LIMA Estate.

Batangas State University said 993 first-year engineering students have enrolled for the campus' opening, making it the first operational milestone of a partnership with Aboitiz Economic Estates aimed at bringing higher education closer to industry.

Located within LIMA Estate in Lipa-Malvar, the interim campus is the initial phase of a planned 10-hectare facility envisioned as the country's first learning hub dedicated to industry-based engineering education.



Unlike a traditional university campus, the program places students in the middle of one of Southern Luzon's largest industrial estates, allowing them to study alongside companies involved in manufacturing, technology, logistics, and business services.

The setup is designed to expose students to real-world industrial environments early in their academic journey while helping companies build a future pipeline of engineering talent.

"The long-term competitiveness of our industrial regions will depend on whether education, employment, and investment can grow together," said Rafael P. Fernandez de Mesa, President and CEO of Aboitiz Economic Estates and Aboitiz Land. "Through our partnership with Batangas State University, LIMA Estate is helping build a more responsive talent pipeline that can support the continued growth of industry in Batangas and Southern Luzon."

The initiative also forms part of Talent Edge, Aboitiz Economic Estates' workforce development program, which focuses on connecting students and jobseekers with opportunities inside its industrial estates while supporting skills development aligned with industry needs.

LIMA Estate is home to more than 200 locator companies employing around 75,000 workers, making it one of the country's largest industrial hubs.

University and industry officials said locating the campus within the estate will allow academic programs to evolve alongside changing workforce requirements, while giving students greater exposure to potential employers before graduation.

The opening of the interim campus also signals the start of a broader plan to integrate education and industry more closely in Batangas, where manufacturing continues to play a major role in regional economic growth.

Once completed, the 10-hectare Batangas State University–LIMA Campus is expected to serve as a long-term center for industry-based learning, supporting both engineering education and workforce development in Southern Luzon.