Emerging Cities Fellowship Program

Building future-ready leaders for the next 100 years of citymaking.

About the Fellowship

The Emerging Cities Fellowship Program develops future-ready leaders committed to co-creating sustainable, resilient, and regenerative cities. Designed and delivered under the City Futures Lab, the Fellowship brings together students, faculty, local governments, and regional institutions to co-design actionable solutions for the Iranun Corridor—Barira, Buldon, Matanog, Parang, and Sultan Mastura.

The Fellowship may run from 1 up to 4 semesters, depending on the needs of the student, the academic structure of their program, and the continuity requirements of the project. While many students may join for one semester, projects may be continued or deepened by the same team or by new teams over multiple semesters.

1. Who Can Join?

A. Research Fellows (Senior High School, undergraduate, and graduate students)

Open to students from:

• UP Diliman (Urban Planning, CSWCD, Architecture, Engineering, NCPAG, etc.)

• MSU–Maguindanao

• Cotabato State University

• Other universities and HEIs in the region
  
  

Eligible disciplines include:
Urban planning, architecture, engineering, development studies, economics, sociology, psychology, social work, environmental science, ICT/data science, GIS, political science, public administration, education, and related fields.

Interdisciplinary, cross-university teams are strongly encouraged to broaden perspectives and strengthen systems thinking.

B. Teaching Fellows (Faculty & Instructors)

Faculty who align their 2026 classes, studios, thesis, or capstone projects with Fellowship themes may serve as Teaching Fellows.

Teaching Fellows will:

• Integrate futures thinking into coursework

• Mentor interdisciplinary student teams

• Co-facilitate design and co-creation processes

• Strengthen academic–LGU partnerships

• Support project continuity across semesters (1–4 semesters)
  
  

C. LGU and Regional Government Impact Fellows

Participants include:

• Parang LGU

• Iranun Corridor municipalities

• BARMM ministries (MPW, MTIT, MENRE, MIPA, MBHTE, and others)

They serve as resource persons, co-design partners, and co-owners of prototypes, ensuring alignment with regional priorities and guiding real-world implementation.

2. Learning Approach

Project-Based Learning

Fellows learn by doing—conducting research, fieldwork, stakeholder engagement, and prototyping with communities.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Teams combine social, technical, design, and governance perspectives to respond to corridor-wide challenges.

Cross-University Teaming

Diversity of expertise and campus culture strengthens creative problem-solving.

Regular Online Engagement

• Weekly or bi-weekly team work sessions

• Mentor and Teaching Fellow check-ins

• Monthly cohort-wide reviews

Monthly Video Updates

Teams submit 4–6 minute video updates summarizing progress, insights, challenges, and next steps. These form part of a growing archive to support multi-semester project continuity.  (click here for sample student projects)

3. Fellowship Structure

Applied Projects

Co-developed with LGUs and the Iranun Development Council (IDC). Possible themes:

• Coastal resilience

• Mobility & accessibility

• Regenerative livelihoods & circular economies

• Housing systems & public space

• Digital governance & data ecosystems

• Cultural heritage & place identity

Fieldwork & Immersion

Depending on logistics and LGU coordination, teams may conduct:

• Community workshops

• Stakeholder interviews

• Participatory mapping

• Site observations and data collection

Mentorship Network

Supported by:

• City Futures Lab experts

• Teaching Fellows

• LGU & IDC partners

• Peer mentors and invited practitioners
  
  

Final Outputs

• Prototype, design proposal, or strategic framework

• Research or policy brief

• Final presentation to LGUs & IDC

• Documentation for potential continuation (1–4 semesters)

4. Project Continuation Pathway (1–4 Semesters)

Projects may continue across multiple semesters depending on:

• Project complexity and scope

• Student academic timelines

• LGU priorities

• Momentum and feasibility for scaling

New teams receive a handover package including:

• Monthly video updates

• Documentation and analysis

• Prototype drafts

• Mentor feedback
  
  

This approach supports multi-year, corridor-scale transformation and allows students from various programs (thesis, capstone, studios, practicum) to engage at different depths.

5. Expected Outcomes

For Fellows

• Hands-on project experience

• Strengthened interdisciplinary teamwork and leadership

• Portfolio-ready outputs

• Exposure to municipal and regional decision-making

For Teaching Fellows

• Opportunities for applied research

• Stronger academic–government engagement

• Integration of futures thinking into academic programs
  
  

For LGUs & the Region

• Actionable, data-informed insights

• Prototype solutions addressing local challenges

• Strengthened collaboration with universities

• Contributions to the 100-Year Iranun Corridor Development Vision

6. Program Timeline

Pre-Launch (Aug–Dec 2025)

• Recruitment of Fellows & Teaching Fellows

• LGU consultations and project scoping

• Challenge framing with IDC and municipalities

Semester 1 (Jan–May/June 2026)

• Orientation & team formation

• Training modules

• Fieldwork & analysis

• Monthly video updates

• Prototyping & co-design with LGUs

• End-of-semester presentations and continuation review
  
  

Semesters 2–4 (Optional, Project-Dependent)

• Handover to new teams or continued work by original team

• Deepening, prototyping, or scaling selected projects

• Integration into the Annual Emerging Cities Report

• Cross-semester learning and documentation

7. Program Partners

Developed through the collaboration of:

• PSSarmiento Group

• Galing Pook Foundation

• Asian School of Governance – City Futures Lab & PPP Lab

• UP College of Architecture Faculty

• UP NCPAG Center for Local and Regional Governance Faculty
  
  

Reference Project Examples