Dr. Bandalaria shares about the implementation of microcredentials at UPOU during the 38th AAOU Annual Conference in Beijing, China. (Photo from Dr. Bandalaria)
UPOU continues to make an impact as a member of the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) at the 38th AAOU Annual Conference held on 20-23 October 2025 in Beijing, China, where Dr. Melinda Dela Peña Bandalaria, Professor at the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies and former UPOU Chancellor, played an important role in quality assurance and showcased UPOU’s innovative approaches in lifelong learning.
Dr. Bandalaria, Chair of the AAOU Accreditation Board, served as the moderator for its meeting, which focused on the selection of new accreditors tasked with accrediting new member universities within the AAOU. (Source)
The following day, on 22 October, Dr. Bandalaria presented her research paper titled “Reframing Lifelong Learning Through Microcredentialing: Models and Implementation Mechanics at the University of the Philippines Open University.” In her presentation, she highlighted UPOU’s innovative model for microcredentials, which offers a flexible pathway designed to support adult learners and promote lifelong professional development through open and distance elearning (ODeL).
Dr. Bandalaria led the pilot run of the AAOU QA-based Accreditation System for Technology-Enhanced and Technology-Mediated Higher Education in the Age of Technological Disruptions in 2024. It was in the same year that UPOU was awarded Level 4 Accreditation by the AAOU Accreditation System led by Prof. Kam Cheong Li, Dean of the School of Open Learning at Hong Kong Metropolitan University (HKMU).
Written by Angelo Joaquin Ascan | Edited by Primo G. Garcia and Anna Cañas-Llamas | Photo from Dr. Bandalaria’s FB Page
#UPOpenUniversity
