The Eastern Visayas State University is already in its seventh year of orchestrating an international research congress on STEAM areas, i.e., Science, Technology, Engineering, Agri-Fisheries, and Mathematics. Aimed at gathering researchers, practitioners, and young professionals for knowledge dissemination, this year’s 7th iSTEAM Plus or 7th iSTEAM+ extends its coverage and focus as a sustainable development knowledge platform to include other fields that have significant impacts in people’s lives, such as health care (nutrition and dietetics and related fields) and social sciences (economics, humanities and related fields). Providing avenues for scientific breakthroughs, building a stronger knowledge economy, and strengthening the regional innovation ecosystem define the 7th iSTEAM+. This year’s research congress underscores building professional networks that necessitate transposition of our Research, Innovation, and Extension programs, projects, and activities attuned to the regional, national and global needs.

In line with EVSU’s commitment to pursue excellence in the field of STEAM, the Eastern Visayas University (EVSU) capitalizes on collaboration and networking efforts. Hence, partnership with the Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering (PAASE) is deemed pivotal to elevate the conference platform and tools. EVSU and PAASE have partnered to organize the 7th International STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Agri-Fisheries, and Mathematics) Research Congress held in conjunction with the Annual APAMS Meeting and Symposium (APAMS).

With the paradigm shift in higher education, there is a need to make innovations, research, and extension programs of higher education institutions work for the society and advocate development for local communities. To leverage our instrumentalities, we need enabling policies, informed human capital, networking assets, and the like, to propel productivity among collaborators and actors of the innovation ecosystem.

Germane to the development goals of the present University President, Dr. Dennis C. de Paz, and to create a positive collaborative culture among government and non-government agencies, the 7th iSTEAM+ with the theme “STEAM+ for Sustainable Futures: Bridging Research, Innovation, and Extension” is indeed an opportunity to navigate the arteries of development in priority areas while traversing the connection of the academe to local communities through research, innovation, and extension services.