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The State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) have responded in various ways to the call for a more robust research orientation among SUCs. It is in response to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) policies and mandates that are primarily geared towards improving research productivity. Hence, the study was conducted to investigate the teacher's research competence of selected SUCs in the Philippines. The study used a descriptive survey method of research. Data were taken from 147 teachers of different SUCs and were analyzed and interpreted using a statistical mean. The study revealed that teachers are much competent in doing research. Besides, their attitudes were optimistic despite the difficulties they have encountered in doing research works. Furthermore, it was found out that most teachers are motivated in doing researches for various reasons. Hence, the paper concluded that most teachers exceed some expectations in being a researcher and strive to conduct research despite the challenges. However, the paper recommended that further research capability programs are implemented and various avenues and opportunities for teachers to be presented to continue to engage themselves with research and further help society and the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developing ToCs requires time and effort at the cognitive, emotional and social level. • Initial reservations about ToCs is followed by recognition and appreciation. • ToCs facilitate strategic long-term planning and monitoring of IDR and TDR. • ToCs are living products and support reflection and learning about change processes. • Program leaders assume a service and a science role in leading ToC processes. Theory of Change (ToC) has been promoted as a useful tool in sustainability research for visioning, planning, communication, monitoring, evaluation and learning. It involves a mapping of steps towards a desired long-term goal supplemented with continuous reflection on how and why change is expected to happen in a particular context. However, there is limited reported experience with the development and application of ToCs in inter- and transdisciplinary research contexts. While some previous publications have focused on ex-post application, there has been little discussion about the process of developing and using ToCs in strategic planning and monitoring in large inter- and transdisciplinary research programs. This article reports challenges and lessons learned from the experience of developing and using ToCs in the inter- and transdisciplinary research program Wings (W ater and sanitation i nnovations for n on- g rid s olutions). Challenges include (1) managing time constraints, (2) balancing between concrete and abstract discussions, (3) ensuring diversity in group composition, (4) fluctuating between reservations and appreciation, and (5) fulfilling both service and science roles while leading the ToC process. The experience highlights the importance of alternating formal and informal interaction formats throughout the process, ensuring heterogenous group formation, involving early career scientists, being responsive to emergent needs and making the added value of developing and using ToCs explicit and tangible for all participants. Although these lessons are mainly derived from developing ToCs within the interdisciplinary program team, they can support other programs in both their inter- and transdisciplinary research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]