The Chancellor of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), Dr. Joane V. Serrano, emphasized the role of digital education as a driving force behind responsible and sustainable scientific innovation during her keynote address at the virtual Bandung International Conference on Collaborative Health Research (BICCHR) 2026 organized by the Faculty of Pharmacy of Universitas Padjadjaran (UNPAD) on 4 February 2026.
Photo from the BICCHR 2026 official website.
The conference, themed “Smart Science for Excellent Futures: Cosmetics, Biotechnology, and Digital Education,” brought together researchers and health professionals to examine interdisciplinary approaches to advancing research and practice.
In her keynote titled “Digital Education as Smart Science: Enabling Innovation, Excellence, and Sustainability Across Disciplines,” Chancellor Serrano stated that digital education is not simply a support tool for science but an essential system that enables knowledge to move from research spaces into policy, professional practice, and communities.
UPOU Chancellor Dr. Joane V. Serrano underscores the need for learning systems to evolve alongside changing scientific fields during her keynote at BICCHR 2026.
She also emphasized that in rapidly evolving fields such as cosmetics, biotechnology, and health sciences, learning cannot stop at graduation. Instead, professionals must continuously update their knowledge to keep pace with new evidence, regulations, and public expectations for safety and accountability.
Highlighting Open and Distance eLearning (ODeL), she described it as a practical and inclusive approach that allows professionals to learn while remaining in active service. She also discussed the use of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, noting that while these tools expand possibilities for learning, they must remain guided by ethical reflection and human judgment.
Chancellor Serrano further shared UPOU’s initiatives on microcredentials, which provide focused and timely learning opportunities tailored to specific professional needs. By embedding learning into everyday practice, she said, institutions can help ensure that scientific progress remains responsive, responsible, and relevant.
Through her participation in BICCHR 2026, the UPOU Chancellor reaffirmed the University’s commitment to advancing ODeL as a foundation of sustainable and ethically grounded scientific development.
Written by Sydney Macahiya | Edited by Anna Cañas-Llamas
