UPOU ties up with international open universities

 

The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) collaborates with five international open universities in the region to develop and offer a graduate degree program on ASEAN Studies. These open universities are the Hanoi Open University, Vietnam; Open University of Malaysia; Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Thailand; Universitas Terbuka, Indonesia; and Wawasan Open University in Malaysia.

The ASEAN Studies program aims to promote regional and global understanding about ASEAN Countries from the perspective of ASEAN; increase the ASEAN community’s consciousness of its common historical, cultural, and regional identity;  and obtain a balanced perspective in ASEAN studies.

This graduate program will deliver courses in English using a mix of print-based and multimedia resources with online tutorials.

The officials of the collaborating universities just recently held another meeting on 27 February 2009 at the UPOU headquarters in Los Banos, Laguna, to work again on the proposal for the ASEAN Studies program.

Hanoi Open University (HOU) in Vietnam was established to train and research on distance and face-to-face education that meet the diversified needs of the people for education. It is a public institution in the national higher education system under the management of the Ministry of Education and Training.

Open University of Malaysia is the seventh private university in Malaysia and offers courses though open and distance learning. The university is an alternative venue for the public to gain quality tertiary and lifelong education.

Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, Thailand is the first open university in Southeast Asia to use a distance teaching/learning system. It was established as a state university to provide people with increased educational opportunities at the university level.

Universitas Terbuka is Indonesia's 45th state university and the only one dedicated to distance learning. The university’s instructional system requires students to study independently using multi-media learning packages and supported by various kinds of tutorials (face-to-face, by correspondence and online).

Wawasan Open University is Malaysia's first private, not-for-profit, open learning institution. (Luisa A. Gelisan)

Date posted: March 4, 2009