On March 27, 2025, the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) received Bulacan State University (BSU) in a benchmarking activity that brought together key faculty members from both institutions, including Prof. Gerald Hilario, Dean of BSU-Sarmiento Campus;  Dr. Elenita Capariño,  Department Head of Information Technology and Data Science; and Dr. Marlon Hernandez, BSU Benchmarking Chairperson. 

Dr. Eva Rodriguez, Acting Program Director of the UA&P Data Science Program, gave a detailed presentation of BS Data Science, highlighting its curriculum, faculty, and students, as well as innovative approaches and practices. Additionally, a testimonial from Jaime Santos, a 4th-year BS Data Science student, offered insightful perspectives on the student experience and the program's impact. The guests were given a guided tour of the campus afterward.

The benchmarking activity provided BSU with an opportunity to learn from UA&P's offerings and advancements in data science education. This facilitated valuable discussions on enhancing data science education and fostering collaboration between the two universities for future academic and professional development.

Officials of the UA&P School of Sciences and Engineering with the representatives from Bulacan State University (L-R): Two BSU faculty members, Dr. Marlon Hernandez (Benchmarking Chairperson), Dr. Elenita Capariño (Head, ITDS Department), and Prof. Gerald Hilario (Dean, Bulsu-Sarmiento Campus), SSE Dean Dr. Noemi Barcial-Torre, BSDS Program Director Ms. Kim Vallesteros, BSDS student Jaime Santos, and BSDS Acting Program Director Dr. Eva Rodriguez.