Three faculty members from the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) of the UP Open University have been selected to participate in the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and University of the Philippines (UP) Doctoral Collaboration Program.
They submitted their dissertation topics and proposals to their respective programs which were subsequently approved by the relevant academic units at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Assistant Professor Cecille Moldez has begun pursuing her research on data analytics and visualization under the UTS Transdisciplinary School, beginning May 2025. On the other hand, Assistant Professor Joyce Mae Vega will be working on her dissertation on Techno-aesthetics and the Future of Beauty at the Faculty of Design, Architecture, and Building; and Assistant Professor Mari Anjeli Crisanto with her doctoral study at the UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences this July.
The UTS x UP Open Doctoral Collaboration Program is an initiative designed to support the development of UP faculty members through distance education. This collaboration between UP and UTS allows faculty members to pursue doctoral studies remotely, benefiting from the resources and expertise of a top-ranked Australian university.
Spearheaded by the University of the Philippines Open University through Associate Professor and former Dean of FICS, Dr. Diego Maranan, and Dean Charisse Reyes of the Faculty of Education (FEd), the program offers UP faculty members an opportunity to earn their doctorate while remaining in the Philippines. Participants receive travel and publication support at a reduced cost, helping to make the program more accessible.
Dr. Anna Cristina Pertierra, the Dean for Research at the Faculty of Design, Architecture, and Building (FDAB) of UTS, serves as UP’s counterpart and advocate, further strengthening this collaboration.
The program will also feature Doctoral Learning Hubs at UP Diliman and the UPOU headquarters, where PhD candidates can engage in collaborative research and social activities. Participants will have the opportunity to travel to UTS, with the possibility of reciprocal visits from UTS supervisors to the Philippines. To participate, candidates were required to go on full study leave.
Participants also include faculty members from UP Diliman, UP Los Baños, UP Mindanao, and UP Tacloban College. UPOU looks forward to sharing this model with other state universities and colleges as a potential framework for future academic partnerships.
Written by Joy Abigail C. Rebulanan | Edited by Emely M. Amoloza
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