The theme of the conference is "Higher Education: Forerunner in Meeting Diverse Global Challenges" which aimed to promote healthy exchange of ideas from researchers of different disciplines throughout the country, and to broaden understanding on the important role of higher education coping with the many challenges of the present time. This conference facilitated the evaluation and dissemination of research output and identified and formulated policies and action plans that would address said concerns.

One of the Guest Speakers was Dr. Maria Lourdes K. Otayza, Chief of Hospital III of Mariano Marcos Memorial Hospital & Medical Center (MMMH&MC), City of Batac, Ilocos Norte and the present Chairman of the Region 1 Health Research & Development Consortium (R1HRDC). She focused on the topic, "Enhancing Practical Solutions on Health Problems Through Conventional Biotechnology in Drugs and Medical Plants" and elaborated on its rationale when she discussed about the PCHRD's National Unified Health Research Agenda for 2011-2016 which covers Drug Discovery & Development, Development of Diagnostic Kits for Priority Diseases, Genomics and Molecular Technology, Functional Foods, Hospital Equipment and Biomedical Devices, ICT in Health and Chronobiology.

The main objective of her talk was to challenge the audience, composed mostly of state university faculties and academic researchers all over the Philippines to encourage their students in health - related research.