Baguio City, Philippines – July 31, 2025 — The University of the Cordilleras hosted a distinguished global health expert, Dr. Don Eliseo Lucero-Prisno III, for an insightful talk on advancing scientific research and academic visibility, held last Thursday from 3:00 to 5:00 PM at the Nursing Laboratory.
The event was attended by faculty members from the College of Nursing and the College of Arts and Sciences, particularly those teaching in the BS Biology, BS Psychology, and BA in Behavioral Science programs. The session aimed to strengthen faculty engagement in research and highlight the importance of scholarly contributions to the university’s academic reputation.
Dr. Prisno, a globally renowned public health scientist and one of Stanford/Elsevier’s World’s Top 2% Scientists, emphasized the vital role of research publication in enhancing institutional prestige. “Faculty members must strive to publish in Scopus-indexed journals,” he urged. “Doing so not only increases the academic visibility of the university but also opens doors for our graduates. The stronger the institution’s reputation, the greater the opportunities for its alumni in the workforce.”
He further discussed how institutional prestige can have a direct impact on employment outcomes, explaining that graduates of highly regarded universities may enjoy better chances of being hired or attaining job security, particularly in competitive fields.
Dr. Prisno’s body of work is extensive and deeply rooted in health equity and research capacity building. With over 500 scientific outputs, including 387 articles indexed in Scopus, he has led efforts to bridge global gaps in health research, especially in low- and middle-income countries. In recognition of his impact, he was recently conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Technology Management (Honoris Causa) by Southern Leyte State University and the Commission on Higher Education.
Currently, Dr. Prisno teaches at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the University of the Philippines Open University, among other international institutions. He holds visiting appointments in universities across Asia, Africa, and Europe, and is a former Visiting Scientist at Harvard University. His global engagements also include consultancy work for the World Health Organization, World Bank, and the Asian Development Bank, where he contributed to the implementation of Universal Health Care in the Philippines.
Dr. Prisno’s leadership in academic publishing is equally notable. He serves as the Editor-in-Chief of the Recoletos Multidisciplinary Research Journal, Founding Editor-in-Chief of Public Health Challenges (Wiley), and Deputy Editor-in-Chief of BMC Global Health Research and Policy, a top-tier journal with an impact factor of 8.7.
Aside from his academic and research credentials, Dr. Prisno is also the Founder of Global Health Focus, a training platform that has mentored over 20,000 emerging leaders in global health across Asia and Africa. His efforts continue to support governments and universities in strengthening their health research systems.
The University of the Cordilleras expressed its gratitude to Dr. Prisno for his generous sharing of expertise and for inspiring the faculty to engage more actively in global scholarship. As the university moves forward in its commitment to research excellence, the visit from one of the world’s foremost health scientists marks a significant milestone in its pursuit of global academic engagement.
