News

Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), is now serving as a member of the Governing Board of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional Open Learning Centre (SEAMOLEC).  She was appointed as the representative of the Philippines, effective from 7 November 2022, and will run until 6 November 2025. As Governing Board member, Dr. Bandalaria will take part in determining policies for the operation of SEAMOLEC and approving the annual programs and budgets of SEAMOLEC within its five-year development plan. In addition, her task includes making annual evaluations and reviews [...]

UP Open University will offer four new Associate programs this 2023. The UP Board of Regents has approved the implementation of the following programs: Associate of Arts in Digital Design and Art Associate of Arts in Digital Entrepreneurship Associate of Science in Information Technology Associate of Science in Instructional Design and Technology The Associate of Arts/Science programs of UPOU are two-year pre-baccalaureate degree programs that ladderize to Baccalaureate degrees. This serves as UPOU’s contribution to addressing the gaps in skills, knowledge and competencies that should have been acquired during the Senior High School (SHS) and National Certificates (NC) I [...]

The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Faculty of Information and Communications Studies (FICS) held its recognition program for the graduating class of A.Y. 2021-2022 on 10 December 2022 at the CCDL Auditorium, UPOU HQ. A total of 121 graduates were recognized. FICS Dean, Dr. Diego S. Maranan gave the welcome message for the graduates, officials, and faculty members. An inspirational message was given by the FICS Top Graduate of Class 2021, Dr. Lorena Bañares, who is currently teaching at RMIT University in Hanoi Vietnam under the school of communication and design. Through a video recording, she presented a [...]

Graduation photo of Ms. Maria Freya Talisaysay-Carungcong, CSP-PASP, MDE The Master of Distance Education program (Thesis Track) of the UP Open University Faculty of Education has produced its first graduate in the person of Ms. Maria Freya Talisaysay-Carungcong. Freya works as a speech and language pathologist and faculty member at the De La Salle Health Science Institute. She earned a bachelor’s degree in speech pathology from the University of the Philippines Manila. Freya continued her studies at UPOU because she was interested in distance learning and how it could be applied to the courses she handles. With the [...]

On 10 December 2022, the conferment of the degree of Associate in Arts to the graduating class of 2022 was done during the 26th Commencement Exercises of the University of the Philippines Open University. The ceremony was held at the UPOU Headquarters, Los Baños, Laguna. For Mr. Enrico M. Feria, or El as he is more commonly called, this was a celebration of all his achievements, namely, as a UPOU Bridge Program completer, AA graduate and Ugnayan ng Pahinungόd UPOU volunteer. In July 2020, El joined the Bridge Program of UPOU, where he enrolled in both the Bridge English and [...]

This 2022, the Faculty of Education (FEd) of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) resumed its face-to-face Recognition Rites and Ceremony for the graduating class of 2022. It was conducted on 09 December 2022, 8:00 AM, at the Centennial Center for Digital Learning (CCDL), UP Open University, Los Baños, Laguna. The program was opened by Asst. Prof. Louanne Mae L. Calipayan, one of the FEd Faculty Members, as the Master of Ceremonies. The FEd Fellowship or the Salu-salo followed right after the ceremony at the Audio Visual Room (AVR). FEd produced 177 graduates for the Academic Year 2021-2022, [...]

Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, Chancellor of the UP Open University (UPOU), has been reappointed for another term as International Council for Open Distance Education (ICDE) Ambassador for Open Education Resources (OER) and member of the OER Advocacy Committee (OERAC). Her second appointment is valid for two years, from January 2023 until the end of 2024.  As a member of the ICDE OERAC, she will be working closely with the Chair and other Ambassadors within the ICDE Quality Network. As an ambassador, her tasks include contributing to reports, articles, and ICDE communication materials for ICDE campaigns and events; attending virtual [...]

The Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) in collaboration with PUNLA, a people’s organization in Los Banos, held  a Youth Leadership Capacity Building on 19 November 2022 at the UPOU CCDL-Sandbox, Los Baños, Laguna. With her presentation entitled “Building Leadership Habits”, Dr. Joane V. Serrano, FMDS Dean and Professor, gained the youth’s appreciation for self-reflection and relying on one’s competency. Dr. Serrano  emphasized the importance of realizing the need for openness, accountability, and transparency to an extent in becoming an effective leader. Most essentially, she reminded the [...]

Dr. Pedcris M. Orencio, Associate Professor and Diploma in Land Use Planning (DLUP) Program Chair of the Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS) of the UP Open University (UPOU), presented the impacts of climate change in the fourth leg of SN Aboitiz Power (SNAP) Conversations on 16 November 2022 via Zoom. Carrying the theme “Our Climate Impact: Mitigating Climate Change Through Powering Sustainability,” the webinar aims to draw attention to the threats brought by climate change and how to mitigate and manage the risks. To provide an understanding of disaster risk and management, Dr. Orencio discussed the climate change [...]

The UP Open University gathered for the Annual General Assembly at the UPOU Headquarters last 20 December 2022.  The hybrid event convened around 253 UPOU employees and staff to hear about the progress and achievements of UPOU for the year 2022. Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, UPOU Chancellor, reported the accomplishments of the University based on the four strategic areas which are 1) Performing major functions of a University 2) UPOU as part of the only National University in the country 3) UP in the International ODeL Community through UPOU, and 4) Systems Improvement Towards Efficiency of Operations within the [...]