Professor Bandalaria Conferred the UP Scientist Award - University of the Philippines Open University

Chancy Mel UP Scientist III

The University of the Philippines Open University extends its warmest congratulations to Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria, Chancellor of UPOU, for being conferred the title of UP Scientist III for the term 2023-2025.

Dr. Bandalaria is a Professor at the UPOU Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS), where she teaches courses in the Master of Development Communication and Doctor of Communication programs. In addition to her expertise in communication, she is a recognized authority in open and distance education (ODeL), having published extensively in academic journals and contributed to books on these topics. Her work spans not only the Philippines but also the ASEAN and Asian regions, as well as global contexts.

Her dedication to ODeL has earned her recognition both nationally and internationally. Dr. Bandalaria has held key roles in various global educational organizations, including serving on the Executive Committee of the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) and the ICDE OER Advisory Committee (OERAC). She is also an appointed ambassador of Open Educational Resources for ICDE.

Currently, Dr. Bandalaria represents the Philippines on the Governing Board of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO) Regional Open Learning Centre (SEAMOLEC)from 2022 to 2025. Additionally, she chairs the Asian MOOCs Steering Committee and serves as the President of the Consortium for Open and Distance Education in the Philippines (CODEPP).

Dr. Bandalaria holds a PhD in Development Communication from the University of the Philippines Los Baños and earned her Graduate Certificate in Distance Education from Indiana University in Bloomington, USA.

Written by Anna Cañas-Llamas• Edited by Myra C. Almodiel

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4 days ago

The 7th AAWS Congress concluded with a closing ceremony. Dr. Sylvia Estrada Claudio, AAWS Council Member, wrapped up the event with a thoughtfully articulated synthesis highlighting the key insights and important points, reflections and challenges from the sessions.An awarding ceremony was also held to recognize outstanding contributions presented during the congress, and named the Best Exhibit, Best Poster, and Best Paper. The Best Community Fair Showcase was awarded to LATCH Los Baños.The Best Poster was given to Loise Anne C. Aquino, Destiny SM. Lutero, Vannessa E. San Juan, Francesca Isabel N. De Vera, Rea Divina C. Mero, and Ellaine Rose A. Beronio for the study entitled "Assessing Gender Mainstreaming at UPLB: The Case of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics (IMSP);” The Best Paper (First Place) was given to Irish Joy G. Deocampo and Maritess D. Cruz with the study entitled “You Should Always Be Safe Here: Applying Feminist Care in Reimagining 2 Communication Against Gender-Based Violence in Higher Education;”The Best Paper (2nd Place) to Alice C. Prieto-Carolino with the study entitled “Filipino Women Polychaete Fishers’ Lives from the Lens of Feminist Political Ecology;”The Best Paper (3rd Place) was given to Renalyn C. Figueroa for the study entitled “From Womb To Tomb: The Intersectionality of Women in Jessica Hagedorn’s ‘Dogeaters;”And Best Paper Finalist to Princess Sheryn A. Mamucao for her study “Bangsamoro Women’s Roles in Conflict Resolution in the Bangsamoro Region (BARMM).”Asst. Prof. Maria Lourdes Jarabe, Director of the UPOU Office of Gender Concerns, delivered the closing remarks, emphasizing the conference as a testament to the community’s commitment to advancing gender studies. She highlighted how the event fostered collaboration, knowledge exchange, and solidarity among participants, serving as a meaningful conclusion to the 7th AAWS Congress.#AAWSCongress2025 #EmpowerSustainDemocratize #AsianWomenInFocus #SDG5GenderEquality #UPOU #7thAAWSCongress2025 #AAWS #UPOU #FMDS #OGC #EmpowerSustainDemocratize #AsianFeminisms #WomenLeadChange #SDG4 #SDG5 #SDG16 #SDG17 ... See MoreSee Less

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