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The Center for Educational Measurement, Inc. (CEM) will bring together educators, researchers, school leaders, policymakers, and other education stakeholders for its 48th Anniversary Conference on September 15, 2026, from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM (PST). Marking a first for CEM, this year's conference will be conducted in a hybrid format, with onsite sessions at Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle, Manila, and live online participation via Zoom.

Carrying the theme, “Ability, Wellbeing, and Learning Conditions: Assessment Implications for Innovation and Quality Education,” the conference recognizes that educational outcomes are influenced not only by learners' abilities but also by their wellbeing and the learning conditions that support their growth. By bringing these interconnected dimensions into focus, the conference aims to encourage more responsive, inclusive, and evidence-informed approaches to assessment and educational practice.

The conference will open with a keynote address by Dr. Dina Ocampo of the University of the Philippines Diliman on “The Learner in the Philippine Classroom: Challenges and Opportunities for Assessment and Innovation.” The keynote will examine the realities facing Filipino learners and explore how assessment can support meaningful innovation in teaching and learning.

Three plenary sessions will further explore the conference theme. Dr. Allen Espinosa of the Philippine Normal University will discuss competency-based learning and the evolving role of assessment in measuring what matters. Dr. Ron Resureccion of De La Salle University Manila will examine how wellbeing and socio-emotional learning can be meaningfully integrated into assessment systems. Dr. Lizamarie Olegario of the University of the Philippines Diliman will focus on how learning conditions, including classroom climate, teaching practices, learner engagement, and equitable access to resources, shape educational outcomes and inform assessment innovation.

As CEM celebrates 48 years of advancing educational assessment, the conference reaffirms the institution's commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue, promoting evidence-informed practice, and strengthening partnerships that contribute to a more equitable, learner-centered, and high-quality education system.

Registration is now open. Exclusive invitations have been extended to CEM Institutional Partners as part of their membership benefits, while interested participants outside the CEM network are likewise welcome to participate online.