World Research Conference on Indigenous Heritage, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship
Theme: “Weaving Cultures, Building Futures: Indigenous Knowledge and Enterprise at the Heart of Lang-ay”
(RESCHEDULED)
Mountain Province State University
Bontoc Campus, Bontoc Mountain Province
Welcome to WRCIHIE 2026
Indigenous Peoples hold vital knowledge, cultural practices, and ecological insights that have sustained their communities for generations. These systems align closely with key sustainable development goals including SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). By providing proven models for resilience, sustainability, and collective well-being, Indigenous Knowledge offers critical guidance for addressing contemporary social, economic, and environmental challenges.
The theme “weaving cultures, building futures” emphasizes the central role of Indigenous heritage in shaping resilient, culturally grounded social and economic futures. This international conference is a collaborative initiative of the Local and International Affairs Office and the Innovation, Research, Development, Publication, and Extension Unit that aims to build sustainable partnerships, strengthen research and community programs, and promote enterprise development rooted in indigenous knowledge. The linkage office, through its mandate to foster inter-institutional, industry, and international collaborations, facilitates long-term enterprise development, cultural preservation, and global knowledge exchange. Meanwhile, the research and extension Unit, advances research on indigenous knowledge systems, develops community-driven livelihood models, and implements extension programs that promote climate-resilient and culturally grounded development strategies. Combined, their efforts ensure that the conference directly contributes to institutional priorities on research productivity, community empowerment, internationalization, and sustainable development, while amplifying indigenous voices. The conference addresses thematic areas including sustainable development, creative and cultural industries, climate resilience, Indigenous entrepreneurship, and the protection of cultural heritage and intellectual property.
Anchored in the unifying spirit of the Lang-ay Festival—which celebrates unity, kinship, and the shared cultural wealth of Mountain Province—the conference provides a focused platform for scholars, cultural practitioners, community leaders, innovative entrepreneurs, and policymakers to engage in collaborative dialogue and innovation. Moreover, it fosters the co-creation of equitable, culturally aligned enterprise models grounded in Indigenous principles of reciprocity, sustainability, collective well-being, and responsible stewardship of ancestral domains and their resources. Ultimately, this international conference demonstrates how Indigenous Knowledge systems and culturally rooted creative industries can advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), strengthen climate change resilience and adaptation, promote authentic and responsible cultural tourism, support socially responsible and ethical enterprises and uphold the cultural integrity, and collective rights of Indigenous Peoples in accordance with international frameworks.
Conference Description
The World Research Conference on Indigenous Heritage, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship will convene on April 8-11, 2026 at Mountain Province State University, Bontoc Campus with the central theme “Weaving Cultures, Building Futures: Indigenous Knowledge and Enterprise at the Heart of Lang-ay”. Organized by the Mountain Province State University, the conference serves as a dynamic platform and interdisciplinary platform for researchers, educators, policymakers, cultural workers, entrepreneurs, and Indigenous leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue and knowledge exchange. The conference aims to foster rigorous academic dialogue, collaborative research partnerships, and meaningful knowledge exchange grounded in respect for Indigenous epistemologies and lived experiences.
The conference recognizes Indigenous Peoples as vital knowledge holders, innovators, and agents of sustainable and inclusive development. It foregrounds research that documents, examines, and advances Indigenous knowledge systems, cultural heritage preservation, creative industries, community0based enterprise, and sustainable economic models rooted in tradition and innovation.
Through plenary sessions, research paper presentations, panel discussions, and community engagements, the conference highlights evidence-based studies and praxis that strengthen the protection and revitalization of Indigenous cultural heritage, promote Indigenous-led innovation and entrepreneurship, advance inclusive policies and ethical research methodologies, bridge traditional knowledge systems with contemporary development frameworks, and support sustainable livelihoods anchored in cultural identity.
The World Research Conference on Indigenous Heritage, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship ultimately seeks to contribute to global scholarship while empowering Indigenous communities as co-creators of knowledge, drivers of innovation, and leaders in shaping resilient and culturally grounded futures.
About the Conference
The World Research Conference on Indigenous Heritage, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (WRCIHIE 2026) brings together passionate educators, researchers, and practitioners from local and international to exchange ideas, share research breakthroughs, and explore transformative practices shaping our collective future.
OUR SPEAKERS
Keynote Speakers
Witawat Jangiam, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Executive Director of APCORE
Dean of the Graduate School
Burapha University, Thailand
Dr. Ma. Felma Carlos-Tria
University President
Chief Academic and Executive Officer
Universidad de Manila, Philippines
Dr. Leah Enkiwe Abayao
Professor of History
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
University of the Philippines, Baguio
Ms. Freya Uyen
Head of International Exchange Department & Student Mobility Program Manager
Saigon Business School
Dr. Marilyn L. Ngales
Professor
Indigenous Studies Program
Graduate School
CHED Technical Panel Member on Indigenous/Peace Studies
Lyceum of the Philippines, Manila
Dr. Filibert Patrick F. Tad-awan
Program Chair, Bachelor of Forensic Science and Masters in Disaster Risk Reduction Management
University of Baguio, Philippines