UPOU Turns 28

On the 2nd of March 2023, the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) will celebrate its 28th Founding Anniversary at its Headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna.

While UPOU has chosen to hold a simple celebration, no feat of the university is too small to celebrate. It is the first physical anniversary celebration after the pandemic and the first to celebrate with the new UP President, Hon. Angelo A. Jimenez.

The day will start will the opening of the 28th Anniversary Exhibit, which will feature outputs of the Emerging Futurists-in-Residence Program and the Wearable Futures Hackathon course, which will run for 1-2 weeks. This exhibit is spearheaded by the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies in collaboration with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. It will be available at the UPOU Oblation Hall.

The anniversary program will feature two video presentations. The anniversary video, which goes with the event’s theme as its title,  “University of the Future: Reimagination, Reconfigurations, Realizations,” will present UPOU’s accomplishments and its roadmap for the future. Another video will be shown for the launching of UPOU Programs and Projects for 2023

As customary, UPOU will recognize its partners in appreciation of their contribution to UPOU’s fulfillment of its mandates. It will also be the first time for UPOU to award its exemplary employees during the Anniversary Program. The Gawad Chancellor Awards will be presented to chosen faculty and staff members who have proven outstanding in their fields and craft. 

UPOU’s family day will be held on 03 March 2023 to celebrate camaraderie among employees, especially after the pandemic years when the staff members barely saw each other. 

Other activities included in the celebration of UPOU’s 28th year is the celebration of the 25 years of the UPOU Master of Public Management program, which will be held on 24-25 February 2023. 

UPOU was established as an autonomous member of the UP System on 23 February 1995 during the 1084th Meeting of the UP Board of Regents. Since then, UPOU has been braving new highways to champion open and distance elearning not only in the Philippines but also in the ASEAN and Asian regions and the world. In Former UP President Danilo Concepcion’s words, UPOU is the University of the Future and the future of universities. UPOU will continue to reimagine, reconfigure, and make realizations to ensure that it provides quality education accessible to as many people as possible.

Written by  Anna Cañas-Llamas

Edited by Myra C. Almodiel

Graphics by Lovelyn P. Petrasanta