Alibaba Cloud and Mapúa University Forge Partnership to Cultivate Next-Gen Digital Talents

● Mapúa University students and faculty to gain cutting-edge skills in AI, cloud computing, through Alibaba Cloud’s Academic Empowerment Program

May 21, 2025, Manila, Philippines — To further strengthen the Philippines’ digital workforce, Alibaba Cloud, the digital technology and intelligence backbone of the Alibaba Group, has partnered with Mapúa University, the Philippines’ premier engineering and technological school. This collaboration will deliver cutting-edge training in artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, equipping Mapúa students with the skills needed to thrive in the digital economy.

Under the Alibaba Cloud Academic Empowerment Program (AAEP), the partnership will provide Mapúa students and faculty access to industry-aligned AI and cloud computing courses, in-depth resources, hands-on laboratory experiences, and pathways to Alibaba Cloud certifications.

Alibaba Cloud joins hands with Mapúa University to cultivate future digital talents in the Philippines

Upskilling the Next Generation of Digital Talents

The program supports the Department of Science and Technology’s (DOST) National Artificial Intelligence Strategy (NAIS Ph), which positions AI as a catalyst for inclusive innovation, improved governance, and globally competitive industries. A cornerstone of this strategy is workforce development, focusing on upskilling and reskilling Filipino talents to meet the demands of the digital economy.

To achieve this, the DOST is driving higher education institutions to expand AI micro-credentials and continuing education programs, equipping the workforce with the technical expertise needed to compete globally. This new collaboration between Alibaba Cloud and Mapúa University further strengthens these efforts by providing students and faculty access to industry-grade AI and cloud training, fostering innovation and enhancing future academic initiatives.

“As a university with a century-long legacy of excellence in engineering and technology—and the first in the Philippines to offer AI engineering at the undergraduate level—Mapúa is firmly committed to preparing our students to lead in the age of AI,” said Dr. Dodjie S. Maestrecampo, President and CEO of Mapúa University. “Our partnership with Alibaba Cloud allows us to integrate world-class AI and cloud computing technologies into our learning ecosystem, ensuring that our graduates are not only ready for today’s industry needs but are also equipped to drive innovation in an AI-powered world.”

Allen Guo, General Manager for the Philippines, Alibaba Cloud Intelligence, said, “We are thrilled to partner with Mapúa University, a pioneer in engineering and technology education, to empower the next generation of talents. Through this collaboration, we aim to bridge the gap between academia and industry, equipping students with the skills and certifications needed to excel in the rapidly evolving digital landscape. Together, we are building a foundation for innovation and growth in the Philippines.”

Comprehensive learning program for diverse skill levels

The program offers a range of learning resources, including public lectures, training programs, webinars, and hands-on sessions, tailored to cater to varying skill levels. Participants will gain insights into foundational and advanced topics to cloud computing and AI in general and Alibaba Cloud’s AI infrastructure and solutions.

Alibaba Cloud Academy, the company’s training and certification division, supports this initiative with over 250 online and offline certification courses and over 270 online hands-on labs in 19 languages. So far, it has trained over 500,000 individuals globally, with strategic partnerships spanning over 110 universities and educational organizations across 23 countries and regions.

About Alibaba Cloud

Established in 2009, Alibaba Cloud (www.alibabacloud.com) is the digital technology and intelligence backbone of Alibaba Group. It offers a complete suite of cloud services to customers worldwide, including elastic computing, database, storage, network virtualization services, large-scale computing, security, big data analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) services. Alibaba has been named the leading IaaS provider in Asia Pacific by revenue in U.S. dollars since 2018, according to Gartner. It has also maintained its position as one of the world’s leading public cloud IaaS service providers since 2018, according to IDC.

About Mapúa University

Mapúa University is the country's premier engineering and technological school and one of the best universities in the world. It is among the top 6% of the world’s higher educational institutions, and one of only five Philippine universities in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (WUR) 2025. It is a Quacquarelli Symonds-rated 4 Star institution and among the top 100 universities in Southeast Asia. Mapúa University is one of the iPeople schools, a Yuchengco-Ayala education partnership, providing first-class education for a century through academically excellent programs in Engineering and Sciences, Architecture and Design, Information Technology, Communication and Media Studies, and Senior High School. Mapúa also provides access to international education in Business and Management, Health Sciences, and Medicine through its collaboration with Arizona State University, the most innovative university in the US. Learn more about Mapúa University at mapua.edu.ph.