News and Updates
DOST-SEI Practical Training Program under CAS Quality Assurance Office
The Science Education Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-SEI) conducts an annual Practical Training Program (PTP) for junior/senior undergraduate scholars during the school break as part of the Undergraduate Scientific Manpower Development Program. The program aims to enrich the practical experience of the scholars along their field of specialization and adequately prepare them for future employment.
Five UPLB BS Math and Science Teaching (BS MST) students completed the six-week training from July to August 2023. These are Mike Angelo A. Aloba, Jereve E. Bayaborda, Reinald G. Dayson, Richmond C. Racuya, and Charles Alison C. Rivera.
They worked under the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Quality Assurance Office under the direct supervision of Assoc. Prof. Rosemarie D. Eusebio, CAS College Quality Assurance Officer (CQAO). This hopes to broaden the scholars’ knowledge on creating a culture of quality in the university and to apply their learnings in quality assurance in their future profession. MKR Malveda
UPLB prepares for 2023 EQA
A series of orientation meetings is being conducted in preparation for the 1st UPLB External Quality Assurance (EQA) Assessment 2023. The purpose of the meeting is to finalize the itinerary for the 5-day assessment including facility visits, interviews with stakeholders, and provide the submission deadlines for SAR and other requirements. For the month of July, Assessors assigned to BS Biology and BS Agriculture and Applied Economics conducted an orientation meeting with the Dean/Director, Person-in-charge (PIC) of the degree programs and SAR Team. On August 01 and August 02, QAO staff and Assessors for BS Development Communication, BS Electrical Engineering and BS Industrial Engineering met with Dean Ma. Stella C. Tirol, Associate Dean Marion Lux Y. Castro, and Chairpersons Dr. Josefa Angelie Revilla and Dr. Roderick L. Catriz, PICs the degree programs and SAR Teams. The orientation meeting for the other degree programs is to be conducted until September 2023. MKR Malveda
QAO conducts Orientation on UPLB EQA 2023
One of the activities in preparation for the roll out of External Quality Assurance (EQA) Assessment at UPLB – Types A & B is the orientation with the degree program’s person/s-in-charge (PICs), conducted via Zoom on 07 July 2023. The PICs serve as the liaison between the degree program and the UPLB Quality Assurance Office (QAO) for the roll out of the said activity.
The orientation was facilitated by Dr. Myra G. Borines, QAO director. The topics that were discussed include EQA schedule, itinerary, and budget. PICs, College Quality Assurance Officers (CQAOs), and also the Individual Contract of Service (ICS) of the College QA Offices attended the orientation.
Series of meetings with the PICs and the assigned assessors will be conducted in the next few weeks as the next activity in preparation for the roll out of UPLB EQA - Types A&B. MKR Malveda
Sustaining a future-proofed and quality-assured UPLB - QAO Planning Workshop
The UPLB Quality Assurance Office (QAO) recently held its 3rd Planning Workshop with the theme “Sustaining a Future-Proofed and Quality-Assured UPLB” from June 29 to July 1, 2023 at the UPLB Satellite Office, Pacdal, Baguio City. The planning workshop is in preparation for the UPLB degree programs’ types A and B External Quality Assurance (EQA) assessment this September to December 2023. Assessments under Types A and B involve external reviewers/assessors within CU and from another CU, respectively.
During the workshop, Dr. Myra G. Borines, QAO director, presented the UPLB roadmap on Quality Assurance. She presented the past accomplishments of the office and the future directions of QAO. Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, a professor at the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS), College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), and former director of QAO, discussed about leadership in quality assurance. She identified the qualities that QA officers should possess.
As part of the workshop, Dr. Borines and Drs. Leila S. Africa and Analyn L. Codilan, College of Human Ecology (CHE) and College of Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR) QA Officers, respectively, gave an echo seminar on AUN-QA Tier 2 Training on which they’ve attended last March and April 2023 at the De la Salle University and University of Sto. Tomas. Topics that were discussed include: desktop assessment, report preparation and feedback, and do’s and don’ts in conducting actual interviews.
During the workshop, Dr. Adeliza A. Dorado and Assistant Professor Arlene C. Gutierrez, College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) and College of Economics (CEM) QA Officers, respectively, also shared with the participants some updates on their Tier 1 Training in Bangkok, Thailand. They highlighted some requirements to be considered in writing the self-assessment report (SAR).
Other things that were discussed during the workshop include EQA preparation, budget requirement, EQA schedule and itinerary. Team building activities were also conducted to strengthen the working relationships of the participants. The participants were composed of the college/institute quality assurance officers/assessors, former and current QAO directors and QAO staff. (MKR Malveda)
13th AUN-QA Tier 1 Training, Version 4.0 (On-site) in Bangkok, Thailand
Another batch of UPLB College Quality Assurance Officers (CQAOs) attended the 13th AUN-QA Tier 1 Training, version 4.0 on 23 to 26 May 2023 at Bangkok, Thailand.
Dr. Adeliza A. Dorado, College Quality Assurance Officer (CQAO) of the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS), and Asst. Professor Arlene C. Gutierrez, CQAO of the College of Economics and Management (CEM) participated and successfully completed the four-day training.
Throughout the 4-day training course, participants were coached by AUN-QA trainers and taught essential skills and knowledge for accomplishing AUN-QA Programme Assessment.
Dr. Dorado and Asst. Prof. Gutierrez will now be added to the pool of in-house assessors of UPLB. (MKRMalveda)
Seminar-Workshop on Programme Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
More than 100 participants composed of institute directors, department chairs, unit curriculum committee chairs, college quality assurance (QA) officers, selected department/institute QA officers and faculty form different colleges of UPLB attended the Seminar-Workshop on Program Learning Outcomes on May 19, 2023 at CEM Rural Economic Development and Renewable Energy Center (REDREC) Auditorium.
The seminar-workshop aimed to review and revise the Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) of the degree programs and their alignment to the mission, vision of the University and as well as with the Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) based on the requirements of AUN-QA criterion 1 on Expected Learning Outcomes. This is the first activity in preparation for the roll out of External Quality Assurance (EQA) at UPLB – Type A this year. The activity is part of the UPLB QAO’s approved projects under the 2023 Academic Program Improvement(API) Fund. The seminar was held at the REDREC Auditorium, while the workshop was conducted at the CEM Function Hall and the Institute of Cooperatives and Bio-Enterprise Development (ICOPED). The participants were divided into 2 clusters with 7 groups each, which were grouped according to their institutes/departments/colleges. The activity was facilitated by Dr. Evangeline P. Bautista, an AUN-QA Lead/Chief Assessor and the Vice President for Academic Development of the Far Eastern University (FEU) Manila. She was assisted by five (5) more FEU faculty and staff who acted as facilitators during the workshop. (MKR Malveda)
The Assessor Training Workshop for AUN-QA Programme Assessment (Tier 2 Training), On-site
The 13th batch of The Assessor Training Workshop for AUN-QA Programme Assessment (Tier 2 Training) was held on 28 April until 04 May 2023 at the Diamond Hotel, and the University of Santo Tomas, Manila.
For this batch, Dr. Analyn L. Codilan, College Quality Assurance Officer (CQAO) of the College of Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR) participated and successfully completed the seven-day training. In addition to Dr. Codilan, there are also five (5) delegates from other UP CUs such as UP Manila, UP Cebu, UP Visayas and UP Mindanao.
Participants were given the opportunity to work on a real self-assessment report (SAR) and observe the ‘live’ AUN-QA Programme Assessment at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila. Dr. Codilan will now be added to the pool of in-house assessors of UPLB. (MKR Malveda)
Training Workshop on Writing SAR for a Successful AUN-QA Programme Assessment
The 13th online workshop on "Writing Self-Assessment Report (SAR) for Successful AUN-QA Programme Assessment" was held from April 3-5 and 21, 2023. The workshop was attended by participants from universities in the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
In preparation for the AUN-QA Programme assessment of the BS Biology in 2024, Professor Aimee Lynn B. Dupo, PhD, Institute QA Officer of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) attended the said activity. The online workshop adopted both synchronous and asynchronous modes of delivery and hands-on assignment in writing SAR.
The workshop was designed specifically to help participants write SARs for AUN-QA Programme Assessments using the new Guide Version 4.0. It was facilitated by Mr. Johnson Ong Chee Bin, AUN-QA Expert and Founder of Education Quality International (EQI). (MKR Malveda).
The Assessor Training Workshop for AUN-QA Programme Assessment (Tier 2 Training), On-site
The 12th batch of The Assessor Training Workshop for AUN-QA Programme Assessment (Tier 2 Training) was held on Mar 16-22, 2023 at Diamond Hotel, Manila and De La Salle University.
For this batch, three (3) participants from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) participated and successfully completed the seven-day training -Dr. Jean O. Loyola, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and member of the Quality Assurance Advisory Committee (QAAC), Dr. Myra G. Borines, Director of the UPLB Quality Assurance Office (QAO) and a professor at the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT), and Dr. Leila S. Africa, College Quality Assurance Officer (CQAO) and a professor of the College of Human Ecology (CHE). There are also four (4) other participants from UP Baguio and UP Open University .
This training incorporated a unique training environment where participants were given the opportunity to work on a real self-assessment report (SAR) and observe the ‘live’ AUN-QA Programme Assessment at the Dela Salle University. With the roll out of external quality assurance in UPLB this year, participants to this training will add up to the pool of in-house assessors of UPLB.
Another college quality assurance officer is scheduled to attend the 13th batch of Tier 2 Training in April 2023 at the University of Sto. Tomas, Manila. (MKR Malveda)
MCU benchmarks with UPLB QAO
Delegates from the Manila Central University visited the UPLB QAO on February 09, 2023. MCU officials, namely Dr. Renato C. Tanchoco, Jr., vice president for planning and external affairs; Ms. Adrielle Cris Cayabyab, quality assurance associate, and Mr. Ronald R. Mendoza, quality assurance head met with Dr. Myra G. Borines, director of UPLB QAO, and Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, former director.
The purpose of the visit is to benchmark with QAO regarding MCU’s institutional QA structure. During the meeting, Dr. Borines presented the history of the office, its mandates, organizational structure, quality assurance activities and future activities. As the national University, UP is committed to lead in setting academic standards and to provide assistance to higher education institutions in the country. (MKR Malveda)
ABT, FST, and Econ are now AUN-QA-certified
Three degree programs of UPLB have received certification as accredited programs under the ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) on Jan. 12.
BS Agricultural Biotechnology (BSABT), BS Food Science and Technology (BSFST), and the BS Economics (BSEcon) degree programs add to the seven degree programs in UPLB that have received AUN-QA certification.
BS Agri Biotech and BS FST are under the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS), while BSEcon is from the College of Economics and Management (CEM).
These programs were evaluated through online and remote means in the 304th AUN-QA Programme Assessment held on Nov. 21-25, 2022.
Dr. Nguyen Quoc Chin of Vietnam National University (VNU) in Ho Chi Minh City and Asst. Prof. Dr. Karanrat Soonthornpun of Prince of Songkia University in Thailand were the assessors for BSABT.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Quang Minh of VNU and Prof. Dr. Thanongsack Duangdala of the National University of Laos were the evaluators for BSFST. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ornsiri Cheunsuang of Chulalongkorn University in Thailand and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Prastawa Budi of Universitas Hasanuddin in Indonesia were the assessors for BSEcon. (Katrina Anne E. Blanco)
UP Diliman’s DFSN visits UPLB’s IFST for benchmarking activity
A team from the Master of Science in Food Science (MS FS) program of the Department of Food Science and Nutrition (DFSN) of UP Diliman met with the proponents of the Masters of Science in Food Science of the Institute of Food Science and Technology (IFST) of UPLB on Dec. 14, 2022 for a benchmarking activity.
DFSN is under the of the College of Home Economics (CHE), while IFST is with the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS).
The visit was in line with UP Diliman’s MS FS’s pursuit in reviewing its program to address the ever-changing challenges that the food supply chain continually experiences.
The MS FS team was comprised of Dr. Myrna Benita Z. Luna (project leader), Assoc. Prof. Rowena Grace R. Sanchez (co-project leader), Ms. Clarence D. Sabocojan (senior research associate), and Ms. Karla Mae C. Sarita (junior research associate).
They were welcomed by IFST director Dr. Lotis E. Mopera, Dr. Dennis Marvin O. Santiago, and Dr. Dennis V. Cantre.
The benchmarking activity started with the presentation of MS FS programs by both academic units and was followed by a dialogue about faculty and administration staff welfare, collaboration with other institutions, organizational structure, and current program specializations and corresponding motivations.
A facility visit ensued which looked into the teaching, research, and products and processing facilities.
The MS FS API team later made a courtesy visit to the UPLB QAO to explore potential collaborative engagements. (Katrina Anne E. Blanco)
UPLB QAO holds turnover program for its new director
Dr. Myra G. Borines took her oath as the incoming UPLB QAO director during the Turnover Program held on Dec. 6, 2022 at the Executive Conference Room at the Main Library.
Dr. Borines will succeed Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, the outgoing QAO director, who served from 2020 to 2022.
Her tenure starts on January 2023.
Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr., formally opened the event by highlighting the crucial role the QAO plays not only in ensuring the high caliber of UPLB’s academic programs but also in its quality assurance systems and services for the University’s instruction, research, and public service activities.
In her turnover message, Dr. Cadiz emphasized the value of thought leadership, which is essential to effective governance. Dr. Borines, she said, “will be able to infuse new ideas and activities and continue what I have started for the Quality Assurance Office,” demonstrating her trust in her.
As a central part of the program, Dr. Cadiz handed over the 2022 annual report and the Guidebook on Degree Program Assessment as part of the symbolic turnover.
The guidebook is the first publication of the office and the fruit of labor of the college quality assurance officers (CQAOs).
Dr. Borines thanked Chancellor Camacho, Jr., the CQAOs, and the UPLB QAO personnel for their belief in and support of her following the symbolic turnover. She asked everyone to join her on her QA journey as "our work in QA never stops," acknowledging that she has big shoes to fill but is grateful to Dr. Cadiz for creating “the foundation for the QA office in UPLB”.
The event was concluded by Dr. Jean O. Loyola, vice chancellor for academic affairs, expressing sincere gratitude to Dr. Cadiz and her full support to UPLB QAO’s future projects and Dr. Borines.
The program was attended by Chancellor Camacho, Jr., CQAOs, and UPLB officials.
Dr. Borines was a CQAO for the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT) from 2019 to 2022. She was appointed as a project development associate of the UPLB QAO since August 2022 as she transitions to her new role as director. She was CEAT’s OIC dean from 2020 to 2021 and associate dean from 2015 to 2020. She is a faculty member of the Department of Chemical Engineering and has been serving UPLB for over 25 years. (Katrina Anne E. Blanco)
Three UPLB undergraduate degree programs undergo AUN-QA assessment
Three undergraduate degree programs of UPLB underwent programme assessment by the
ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA).
These are the BS Agricultural Biotechnology and BS Food Science and Technology programs of the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) and the BS Economics program of theCollege of Economics and Management (CEM). These programs were evaluated through online and remote means in the 304 th AUN-QA Programme Assessment held from Nov. 21-25.
Preparations in UPLB began in September 2022, with the submission of the self-assessment reports (SAR), holding of orientation programs, readiness tests, management team meetings, and other final preparations.
The opening program was a hybrid event held on Nov. 21, with the in-person program streamed from the REDREC Auditorium. It was attended by UPLB officials, the college quality assurance officers, CAFS and CEM executive committee members, the SAR writing team, and faculty and staff from the colleges. The AUN-QA assessors participated in the program from their respective locations.
Dr. Nguyen Quoc Chin of Vietnam National University (VNU) in Ho Chi Minh City and Asst. Prof. Dr. Karanrat Soonthornpun of Prince of Songkia University in Thailand were the assessors for BSABT.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Quang Minh of VNU and Prof. Dr. Thanongsack Duangdala of the National University of Laos were the evaluators for BSFST.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ornsiri Cheunsuang of Chulalongkorn University in Thailand and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Prastawa Budi of Universitas Hasanuddin in Indonesia were the assessors for BSEcon.
Dr. Nguyen Quoc Chin and Dr. Le Quang Minh served as lead assessors, while Dr. Ornsiri Cheunsuang served as chief assessor.
The opening program was followed by a meeting with the deans, heads of SAR teams, and heads of the departments. The deans gave a briefing of their respective programs after which UPLB held a live online tour of its facilities. The first day of the assessment ended with a series of interviews with academic staff.
The closing program took place on Nov. 25, where preliminary findings of the assessors were presented and the chief assessor provided a wrap-up presentation.
UPLB has seven existing certifications from AUN-QA, namely in BS Agriculture, BS Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, BS Biology, BS Chemical Engineering, BS Development Communication, BS Forestry, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
UPLB’s QA endeavors are overseen and coordinated by the UPLB Quality Assurance Office, headed by Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, UPLB QA officer, who is herself an AUN-QA-trained assessor. (Katrina Anne E. Blanco)
UPLB participates in SHARE-BINUS National Seminar
Three college quality assurance officers from UPLB participated in the SHARE-BINUS National Seminar: “Enhancing Graduate Employability in ASEAN through Internationalisation of Higher Education”.
Dr. Marion Lux Castro of the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT), Dr. Rhea L. Gumasing of the College of Public Affairs and Development (CPAf), and Dr. Edmund G. Centeno of the College of Development Communication (CDC) attended the conference on-site at Le Meridien Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia from Nov. 21-22, 2022.
Dr. Gumasing presented a poster entitled “Conceptualizations of Quality Culture among Higher Education Institutions in the ASEAN Region.”
The seminar served as the culminating activity of the Support to Higher Education in the ASEAN Region (SHARE) programme in the field of qualifications frameworks (QF)/quality assurance (QA) since its inception in 2015. It was in cooperation with the Bina Nusantara (BINUS) University.
In attendance were the ASEAN Secretariat; EU Delegations to ASEAN; External Quality Assurance Agencies of the 10 ASEAN Member States and Europe including the ASEAN Quality Assurance Network (AQAN) and its members; ministry representatives, such as SOM-ED focal points; regional organizations in the field of higher education; and alumni of SHARE QF/QA training courses, workshops, and seminars in the ASEAN Region.
European Union SHARE (EU SHARE) has been conducting SHARE National Seminars in pursuit of exploring current higher education developments and their relation to QF/QA through dialogue among education stakeholders of ASEAN member states and Europe. (Rhea L. Gumasing)
Onsite operation for the AUN-QA Training Course for Accomplishing Programme Assessment continues
The ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) is on the roll in operationalizing its AUN-QA Tier 1 Training onsite.
The 10th batch of in-person AUN-QA Training Course for Accomplishing Programme (Version 4.0), also known as AUN-QA Tier 1 Training, was held on Nov. 15-18, 2022 at Novotel Platinum Pratunam Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.
Almost 30 participants from six different countries in the ASEAN region attended the training. They were coached by four AUN-QA experts.
For this batch, Dr. Marion Lux Y. Castro, associate dean of the UPLB’s College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT) and college quality assurance officer, participated and successfully completed the four-day training to be an AUN-QA practitioner.
Dr. Castro’s attendance to the training was funded by the UPLB Office of the Chancellor through the UPLB Quality Assurance Office. (Marion Lux Y. Castro)
Related article can be read at https://www.aunsec.org/news/10th-aun-qa-training-course-accomplishing-programme-assessment-continues-its-onsite-operation.
MCU discusses benchmarking activities with UPLB QAO
Delegates from the Manila Central University visited the UPLB QAO on Oct. 26, 2022.
MCU officials, namely Dr. Renato C. Tanchoco, Jr., vice president for planning and external
affairs; Ms. Adrielle Cris Cayabyab, quality assurance associate, and Ms. Mary Grace Cancino-
Antiquia, external affairs officer met with Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, director of UPLB QAO; Dr. Myra G.
Borines, QA committee member of the Department of Chemical Engineering and project
development associate of UPLB QAO; and Dr. Ariel L. Babierra, QA officer of the Graduate
School.
They discussed partnership in benchmarking activities in implementing QA measures adhering to international standards.
A Memorandum of Agreement to establish the "2022 UPLB MNH-MCU Biology Internship Program" was signed earlier that day during a courtesy visit by MCU representatives to the UPLB Museum of National History.
Later on, plans for collaboration with the UPLB Institute of Biological Sciences were developed to assist in the improvement of MCU’s biology program. (Katrina Anne E. Blanco)
Related articles can be found in https://thepost.net.ph/news/campus/manila-central-university- uplb-ink-partnership-on-biology-program/ and https://www.facebook.com/UPLBMuseum(dated Oct. 26, 2022).
UP sharpens its capacity on QA
The UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) administered the UP QA
Training Workshop on How to Do QA Assessments for UP quality assurance (QA) officers and
UP faculty external reviewers on October 2022.
The series of training workshops aimed to highlight the participants’ roles and responsibilities as QA officers and/or external QA reviewer; to equip them with the knowledge and skills in conducting QA program review, desktop review for a program, and site visit, and in writing quality program review feedback, report and presentation.
Invited resource speakers for the duration of the ASPIRE workshops were Dr. Alyssa M. Paleo- Alampay, assistant vice president for academic affairs (quality assurance), UP System QA officer, and AUN-QA lead assessor; Dr. Marilou G. Nicolas, retired professor of UP Manila and AUN-QA lead assessor; Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, UPLB Quality Assurance Office director, UPLB QA officer, and AUN-QA assessor; and, Dr. Irene M. Villaseñor, professor of UP Diliman and AUN- QA assessor.
Dr. Monet M. Loquias, professor of UP Manila, AUN-QA assessor, and PAASCU accreditor; and Dr. Philip Ian P. Padilla, vice chancellor for academic affairs of UP Visayas moderated the event.
Eight delegates from UPLB participated: Dr. Tonette P. Laude, UPLB assessor; QA officers Assoc. Prof. Rosemarie D. Eusebio of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dr. Leila S. Africa of the College of Human Ecology, and Dr. Jovencio Hubert A. Abalos of the College of Veterinary Medicine; and QA committee members Asst. Profs. Elgin V. San Gabriel and Paul Lloydson J. Alvarez of the Institute of Chemistry, Dr. Myra G. Borines of the Department of Chemical Engineering, and Asst. Prof. Rizal M. Mosquera of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The training workshop was conducted with eight half-day sessions of online synchronous and asynchronous sessions on Oct. 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, and 26. (Katrina Anne E. Blanco)
AUN-QA Training Course for Accomplishing Programme Assessment returns onsite
With the easing of travel restrictions, the 9th AUN-QA Training Course for Accomplishing
Programme Assessment, also known as AUN-QA Tier 1 Training Batch 9, resumed onsite on
Oct. 17-20, 2022 at VIE Hotel Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand. Over thirty participants from six
countries joined the training. This is the first AUN-QA Tier 1 training to be conducted onsite
since 2020.
Four AUN-QA experts coached the trainees on the nine criteria of the AUN-QA at programme level version 4. Each lecture-discussion session on specific criteria was followed by practical self-assessment report (SAR) writing activities. Participants also shared their personal experiences as well as their university’s practices with quality assurance.
Seventeen of the 34 participants are from the Philippines, with two coming from UP Manila, one from UP Open University, and one from UPLB. Assoc. Prof. Ariel L. Babierra, PhD, quality assurance officer of the UPLB Graduate School, attended the training.
Dr. Babierra’s attendance to the training was funded by the UPLB Office of the Chancellor. (Ariel L. Babierra)
Related article can be read at https://aunsec.org/news/9th-aun-qa-training-course- accomplishing-programme-assessment-return-onsite-training .
Building the Future towards Institutional Excellence at QAO Planning Workshop
The UPLB Quality Assurance Office (QAO) recently conducted its Second Quality Assurance Officers Planning Workshop. With the theme “Future-proofing Institutional Excellence,” the planning workshop aimed to prepare a QA guide on degree program assessments.
The College Quality Assurance Officers (CQAOs) partake in the workshop as they continue to work towards the improvement of the self-assessment report (SAR).
Dr. Jezie A. Acorda, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and former director of Academic Assessment Development Unit (AADU, now QAO), shared his expertise, and personal experiences and challenges encountered in quality assurance (QA) and in crafting the SAR during his term as AADU director. In discussing the differences in approach of ASEAN and European models, he highlighted that QA goal is not about competition with other universities, but about the university developing and working hard on its own standards to ensure it serves its constituency well using its own resources.
In working with QA, he furthered, certain aspects must be factored in, such as clarity in what the institution is doing with QA, how the institution is doing it, and how the institution evaluates it. He elaborated by discussing the QA cycle, emphasizing on the measurement of the institution’s performance, and having clear judgement in doing QA and knowing areas for improvement. The cycle does not end with the recommendation; it acts continuously, he stressed.
During the workshops, the CQAOs presented their comments and suggestions on the enhancement of SAR, streamlined the procedure for the program assessment, and planned the finalization of the UPLB Quality Assurance Guidelines to Self-Assessment at Programme Level.
Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, UPLB QAO director, encouraged and commended the participants for their hard work and continued dedication for institutional excellence in her closing message.
The planning workshop was held at the UPLB QAO with Dr. Edmund G. Centeno, Asst. Prof. Rosemarie D. Eusebio, and Dr. Adeliza A. Dorado successfully moderating it. (JMDDelgado/KAEBlanco)
Raising the standard on SAR through “What to and Not to” Workshop
In the pursuit and commitment to quality, the Quality Assurance Office (QAO) conducted a three-day Self-Assessment Report (SAR) writing workshop on June 20-22 through virtual conferencing.
The workshop entitled “What to and Not to”, highlighted pointers and insights on writing and analyzing SAR. It aimed to develop a SAR template that can be used by all colleges in their SAR writing.
Dir. Nina M. Cadiz, QAO Director and UPLB QA officer, emphasized in her welcome remarks the primary purposes of the workshop: to revisit previous SARs and to improve SAR writing by taking note of its contents and format.
A message from Dr. Jean O. Loyola, vice chancellor for academic affairs, provided updates on the administration’s initiatives for quality assurance (QA) endeavors and shared how UPLB is working hard on improvements toward a future-proof digital transformation through the Academic Management Information System (AMIS). She emphasized that QA is not just about the curriculum; the entire university is working together to align all systems to establish a QA culture in UPLB.
Day 1’s highlight was Dr. Ornsiri Cheunsuang’s sharing and insights on the key features of SAR, on writing an impressive SAR, and on qualities assessors look in a SAR. Dr. Cheunsuang is an associate professor at Chulalongkorn University and an AUN-QA lead assessor.
She stressed that the SAR should stand by UPLB’s mission and vision, and that every school or university should have a system to monitor all resources and a learning management platform where students can track their progress records since it is also an international standard requirement. Moreover, benchmarking should not be done only for checklist culture or to simply show data to the assessors; all collected data must be analyzed carefully for improvement.
At the end of her talk, Dr. Cheunsuang encouraged everyone not to look at QA as hard work because it will be internalized instinctively once everyone understands the nature of QA.
The workshop began on Day 2 as UPLB assessors Dr. Myra G. Borines and Dr. Tonette P. Laude presented the SAR template. Having finished AUN-QA Tier 1 Training, they guided the College Quality Assurance Officers (CQAOs) as they worked on standardized criteria 1 to 8 of the SAR. Each CQAOs was assigned a criterion to furnish, which was presented in Day 3.
Dir. Cadiz closed the workshop seminar by extending her deep gratitude and appreciation to the speaker and workshop facilitators.
CQAOs Dr. Adeliza A. Dorado of CAFS, Assoc. Prof. Rosemarie D. Eusebio of CAS, Dr. Edmund G. Centeno ofCDC, Assoc. Prof. Arlene C. Gutierez of CEM, Dr. Leila S. Africa of CHE, Dr. Marion Lux Y. Castro of CEAT, and Dr. Ariel L. Babierra of GS participated in the workshop.
Assoc. Prof. Eusebio, Dr. Africa, and Dr. Castro successfully moderated it. (JMDDelgado)
UPLB Quality Assurance Office – your partner in quality assurance
UPLB QAO has 11 new, reappointed CQAOs
The year 2022 proves to sustain UP’s mandate and thrust to guarantee top-level quality in education, research, and public service in all its constituent units.
UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr. reappoints nine out of 11 College/School Quality Officers (CQAOs) as representatives in the UPLB Quality Assurance Office (UPLB QAO).
They are: Dr. Adeliza A. Dorado of College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS), Prof. Rosemarie D. Eusebio of College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Dr. Edmund G. Centeno of College of Development Communication (CDC), Prof. Arlene C. Gutierrez of College of Economics and Management (CEM), Dr. Analyn L. Codilan of College of Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR), Prof. Leila S. Africa of College of Human Ecology (CHE), Dr. Rhea L. Gumasing of College of Public Affairs and Development (CPAf), Dr. Jovencio Hubert A. Abalos of College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), and Dr. Janice S. Garcia of School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM).
The UPLB Graduate School (GS) and the College of Engineering and Agro-industrial Technology (CEAT) have new CQAOs: Dr. Ariel L. Babierra of the Institute of Mathematical Sciences and Physics (IMSP) and Dr. Marion Lux Y. Castro of the Institute of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (IABE).
All except Dr. Abalos have been appointed CQAO from April 1, 2022 to March 21, 2025. Dr. Abalos’ appointment is from April 1 to November 30, 2022 only.
As CQAOs, they are primarily designated to carry out self-assessment reviews and to assist and guide their respective units in writing the self-assessment report (SAR) of their assigned degree program. They are also expected to implement the policies and mandates of the UPLB QAO and to conduct echo seminars/workshops on QA. Their other tasks include attending training on QA and assisting UPLB QAO in drafting a manual of operations for program assessment.
In 2021, the CQAOs conducted the “Self-Assessment Report (SAR) Writing Training Seminar” on Oct. 28-29 and Nov. 3-4 via virtual conferencing.
The training seminar launched training modules devised by the CQACs that aim to equip SAR writers of the different units with skills and knowledge in crafting a sound SAR, which is a requirement for external quality assessment such as the Asian University Network Quality Assurance (AUN-QA).
This year, the CQAOs are busy conducting SAR reviews of UPLB degree programs and are eyeing benchmarking planning and activities. In particular, CAFS and CEM CQAOs aid in leading their colleges with the 2022 AUN-QA External Assessment. (Katrina Anne E. Blanco)
The UPLB Quality Assurance Office (QAO) has new QA partners.
Meet Bien and Cali.
Bien and Cali are UPLB QAO’s animated character-partners.
They represent the office and are UPLB’s partners in QA who are “tasked” to provide information and trivia about QAO, its mandates and activities, and QA on a biweekly basis in the office’s Facebook Page.
Concerns and needs regarding internal, external, and institutional assessment, as well as training courses and programs, seminars on QA, writing of self-assessment reports, and iAADS completion communicated to the office can also addressed by them.
Bien got his name from the Spanish word “bien”, which means “well” in English, while Cali’s name is from the Spanish word “calidad,” which is translated to “quality” in English.
Bien and Cali represent UPLB QAO as it aims for “good quality” for UPLB’s QA. Welcome, Bien and Cali! (Katrina Anne E. Blanco)
Message of Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr. during the SAR Writing Training Seminar 2021
“SAR is not char:)”
On the last day of “Self-Assessment Report (SAR) Writing Training Seminar”, Dr. Benjamina Paula G. Flor, through her poem entitled “SAR is Not Char”, provided a recap of what transpired during the shared the journey of the College of Development Communication (CDC) in writing their own SAR, and provided tips on how to champion SAR writing.
Dr. Flor is a member of the CDC Quality Assurance Committee.
The four-day training seminar was conducted by the Quality Assurance Office (QAO) on Oct. 28-29 and Nov. 3-4 via virtual conferencing.
*****
SAR is not char:)
In the SAR context, however, Char is a mnemonic which stands for Comprehensive and Hopefully Approved Reportage.
Thank you for giving us an opportunity to go through this learning activity of assessing our own curricular integrity.
It has come as a revelation that quality, as we perceived it, can be attached to a name because we are UP.
Gone are the days of enjoying the tatak UP branding without benchmarking what others have done or without a standard that can be vetted on or measured against carried out externally to be at par or even better than others as what Director Nina Cadiz had put emphasis.
Dr. Rose Eusebio who started with the end in mind turned Kris Aquino an exemplar of how to engage learners online which all of us became fans in an instance.
Our conviction that UP education is of high quality will not hold ground if we do not align with the needs of the times. Alignment, as the word for this four-day training does not only refer to our curricular maps but should be holistically crafted especially the outcomes to be achieved, according to Dr. Myra Borines. Examples of curricular maps were shown as best practice had we earlier known critical path direction would not have been etched in stone.
Sitting on the accolade that UP is the best can be solidified if our programs can prepare our students for lifelong learning going beyond employment to entrepreneurship based on Prof. Arlene’s tips.
Our openness to embrace outcomes-based education as exemplified by Doc Jomar and Doc Gumasing came as a bling-bling on how we assess students through quizzes or oral exam, portfolio or when to give a cinco, after all, we determine as faculty members what skills and knowledge or competencies students should be equipped with to meet the demands of being gainfully productive as giving back to the nation who paid their tuition.
Prof. Codilan stressed the role of the academic staff in ensuring quality outcomes through proper student-faculty ratio, computation of which was confusing a bit. However, computation will be made easy through a ready excel template that we all can manipulate as promised by Doc Nina Cadiz.
Prof. Leila Africa described the scope of student services and if admin staff are properly trained could take on administrative functions that will relieve the faculty of doing line assembly.
Doc Jovy talked about the learning environment for without it student education will not be complete. Our facilities and structures are classic but with the pandemic or the forthcoming blended learning pedagogy, immersive technologies like augmented or virtual reality should be part of our vocabulary.
Capping the training is Dr. Dorado’s outputs and outcomes which all boils down to what we have done as proof of quality which is our responsibility.
While CDC had its first AUN recognition in 2015, this training provided ample tips and strategies on how to write the SAR this time around. We were walked through the process step by step to hasten the SAR writing, which presumably stop us from swearing. Unlike before where we have to discuss and interpret every criterion only to find out we had a wrong interpretation. From 11 to 8 that sounds great but in reality, the three were tucked where they should be. Lesson learned is to store our data in an online repository like Google Drive and not in hard copies that are neatly bound kept in the dean’s office made available to the evaluating committees. Now, links to proofs are mandated just make sure these are properly tagged and labelled. Knowledge management must be considered since quality assurance could not take a chance.
Of course, challenges will always be there like the tracer study that we have to bear. Graduates do not readily answer the Google forms that come their way. Employers or HR managers may hard to come by either. Long questionnaires will surely be ignored but persistence and patience may just be our license. Sampling is key according to Doc Zita don’t be shy statisticians are on standby.
The remaining months of the year may not be enough to gather data from graduates and their employers especially with barriers like pandemiya. Submitting the SAR as scheduled however must be completed. We can continue data gathering and eventually get ready for AUN scrutiny. Next school year would be more likely to do exit surveys in January. After six months, investigating employability may come in handy.
It would also be a challenge to gather data this time because many lost their jobs due to the pandemic which may not be a true indicator of social mobility and their capacity.
Indicators for lifelong learning maybe difficult to identify coz attribution to the degree may have nothing in common. UPCA formula must be explained and written in full to standardize what colleges have to employ as well as student support services that the university had painstakingly put in place.
But the real challenge is to start somewhere somehow right now for if we won’t we will never know if we ever got there or have gone nowhere. Let’s start self-analyzing and remember that honor and excellence as our mantra mean quality that we have to adhere and live up to today and every day. Thank you.
UPLB challenged to have a quality mindset at QA webinar
The pursuit for quality is a continuous and astute aspiration.
This summarizes the quality assurance (QA) webinar conducted by the Quality Assurance Office (QAO) on Dec. 3, 2021. The webinar, with the theme “Forging UPLB’s Path to Quality Assurance”, sought to increase the constituents’ awareness of QA. It is part of QAO’s third year anniversary celebration. More details about this from the UPLB main website.
QAO headquarters blessed
The headquarters of the Quality Assurance Office (QAO) has finally been blessed by Fr. Jomarie M. Alcantara on Dec. 2, 2021 in time for its 3rd anniversary on Dec. 3. Fr. Jomarie is the parochial vicar of the Diocesan Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus, UPLB.
The blessing was initiated by its director Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, and due to the pandemic, was only attended by Ms. Maria Kristelle R. Malveda, administrative officer, Ms. Emlyn A. Umali, administrative assistant, Asst. Prof. Katrina Anne E. Blanco, project development associate (PDA), and Dr. Rafael T. Cadiz.
QAO, formerly known as the Academic Assessment Development Unit (AADU), was originally housed at the 3/F Bienvenido M. Gonzalez Hall (formerly UPLB Main Library Building) from Dec. 2018 to 2019. It was transferred to the 1/F International House Bldg. in Jan. 2020.
QAO was formerly headed (3 Dec. 2018 to 31 Dec. 2019) by Dr. Jezie A. Acorda, now dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine. (KAE Blanco)
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QAO Conducts SAR Writing Seminar
QAO and its College Quality Assurance Officers (CQAOs) conducted the “Self-Assessment Report (SAR) Writing Training Seminar” on Oct. 28-29 and Nov. 3-4 via Zoom. The training seminar launched training modules devised by the CQACs that aim to equip SAR writers of the different units with skills and knowledge in crafting a sound SAR.
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See related article at https://uplb.edu.ph/academic/uplb-gets-ready-for-sar-writing.
UPLB participates in 2021 AUN-EEC Conference
UPLB has proven once again its commitment to advancing research, not only in the arts and sciences, but in ecological education and culture as well.
Participants from UPLB joined the 2021 ASEAN University Network on Ecological Education and Culture’s (AUN-EEC) annual conference on Sept. 15 via Zoom. The theme of the conference is “Creating an Ecosystem for Ecological Education and Culture,” with panel discussions on “Enabling a Sustainable Culture” and “University Partnerships toward SDGs.” The conference was hosted by the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU).
Four UPLB participants presented their paper under the “Best Practices in Ecological Education and Culture” category, while one presented under “Sustainable Cities and Communities”.
Dr. Faith S. Maranan, in behalf of Drs. Charina Gracia B. Banaay, and Daniel Edison M. Husana, of the Institute of Biological Sciences (IBS) discussed their paper entitled “Leveraging project-based learning for ecological education: Evaluation of a Corbicula flumineaproject as a medium for teaching ecological concepts”.
Dr. Nina M. Cadiz of IBS gave a talk on the “Benefits and Health Risks of Rurbanization of our Towns and Cities: The Case of Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture.
Mr. Jayson F. Enciso, UPLB MS Botany graduate, with co-authors Drs. Nina M. Cadiz and Nelly S. Aggangan from IBS and UPLB National Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, contributed a paper on the “Role of Biofertilizer in Meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs) through Education”.
Dr. Eric Joyce Grande from the Department of Humanities delivered a presentation on “Advancing Ecological Education and Culture through Research-Practice Partnership as Indigenous Knowledge Management in Philippine Basic Education”.
Dr. Melodee Marciana E. de Castro, in behalf of Mr. Joshua Gabrielle F. Capili, Dr. Dinah Pura T. Depositario, DBA3, and Fr. Gerard T. Borja, of Agribusiness Management and Entrepreneurship, UPLB and Vincentian Foundation, Inc., shared the results of their study on “Social Innovation through Sustainable Housing: the Case of Vincentian Bamboo Village”.
AUN-EEC is a thematic network that serves as a platform for cooperation among universities in the region to create and share knowledge and resources on educational practices that promote and cultivate a sustainable lifestyle and culture. (KAE Blanco)
AADU renamed to Quality Assurance Office
As per Memorandum No 2021-133 of the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs issued on Oct. 7, the UPLB Academic Assessment and Development Unit (AADU) has been renamed into the UPLB Quality Assurance Office (QAO).
Be quality virus-infected, admin staff urged
The Administrative Staff Program towards Institutional Resiliency and Excellence (ASPIRE), a series of online synchronous and asynchronous training workshops designed to equip 50 participants from UPLB and UP Visayas (UPV) with necessary knowledge, mindset, and skills in developing and maintaining a Quality Management System (QMS), concluded a two-month training on Sept. 30.
UPLB and UPV ASPIRE for adaptability, creativity, and innovativeness
Selected administrative staff of UPLB and UP Visayas, through the collaboration of UP Diliman Academic Assessment and Development Office, UPLB Academic Assessment Development Unit, UP Visayas (UPV), and UP National Engineering Center (UP NEC), participated in the Administrative Staff Program towards Institutional Resiliency and Excellence (ASPIRE) on Aug. 2 to level up their productivity and efficiency.
AADU Conducts SAR Writing Seminars and Meets with College ExeCom
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ExeCom members and module writers from different colleges. From top to bottom, left to right: CDC, CEM, CHE, CPAf, CVM, SESAM, and CAFS |
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Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, UPLB QA Officer and Director of the UPLB Academic Assessment and Development Unit (AADU), has been meeting with Executive Committee (ExeCom) members of different colleges, and conducting self-assessment report (SAR) writing seminars with their College/School Quality Assurance Coordinators (CQACs) and various QA representatives/SAR writers of their departments and institutes.
The meeting with the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) ExeCom members, headed by its Dean and former AADU Director Dr. Jezie A. Acorda, kicked off this pursuit on April 13. Other colleges followed: College of Human Ecology (CHE) on April 27, College of Economics and Management (CEM) on May 10, College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) on May 17, College of Development Communication (CDC) on May 24, and School of Environmental Science and Management (SESAM) on June 7.
CAFS lead the start of the SAR writing seminars on February 8, and was pursued by the College of Public Affairs and Development (CPAf) on April 6, CEM on April 26, CHE on May 4, CVM on May 7, and CDC on June 14.
The College of Forestry and Natural Resources (CFNR), College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT), College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), and other major offices are expected to schedule their turn with AADU soon.
The meeting with College ExeCom members is in response to Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr.’s Memorandum No. 027 released on March 11. It aims to introduce AADU, reiterate the importance of QA, and empower the colleges by apprising how they can contribute to UPLB’s QA initiatives.
The SAR writing seminars intend to equip colleges in preparing for external review, such as the Asian University Network Quality Assurance (AUN-QA).
These are all part of AADU’s mandate of promoting QA standards and trainings related to QA. (KAE Blanco)
AADU Initiates ASPIRE UPLB
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The UPLB Academic Assessment and Development Unit (AADU) initiates the Administrative Staff Program towards Institutional Resiliency and Excellence (ASPIRE) Training Program in UPLB to be conducted on August 2, 4, 9, 16, 18, 20, 23 and 31.
A briefing with its 30 participants was conducted by AADU as UPLB Secretariat, led by its Director Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, on June 21, 2021.
ASPIRE Training Program is designed to ensure quality assurance for administrative staff working on academic-related matters. It seeks to equip participants with the necessary knowledge, mindset, and skills in developing and maintaining a Quality Management System that will help their units attain improved and efficient operations, sustained culture of innovation, customer-driven delivery of services, and empowered human resource.
The program is a mix of online synchronous sessions via Zoom, with 7 synchronous 4-hour sessions and the Closing and Graduating Program, and asynchronous activities for submission of assignments.
ASPIRE is handled by the UP Diliman Academic Assessment and Development Office (AADO) in partnership with the UP National Engineering Center. (KAE Blanco)
UPLB is now AUN-EEC member
UPLB is now a member of the ASEAN University Network-Ecological Education and Culture (AUN-EEC) with Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, director of the Academic Assessment and Development Unit (AADU), designated by Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr. as UPLB’s official representative.
You can read additional details from https://uplb.edu.ph/all-news/uplb-is-now-aun-eec-member/.
CEM holds AUN-QA Self Assessment Review Seminar-Orientation
Faculty members of the College of Economics and Management (CEM) attended the AUN-QA Self Assessment Review Orientation Seminar.
HE QA resources made available at UP iAADS+
Resources on Quality Assurance in Higher Education are made available at the UP iAADS+ website. Kindly visit iAADS+ resources page https://aad.up.edu.ph/resources.
Chancellor Camacho, Jr. Meets with AADU
The UPLB Academic Assessment and Development Unit (AADU), led by its Director Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, met with UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr. on March 2, 2021 to discuss AADU’s proposed academic assessment database system, provide budget updates, and present the UPLB-AADU IQA/EQA Masterlist Plan/Roadmap.
The proposed database system aims to provide a more efficient conduct of information and data gathering within and among the different offices, institutions, and departments of the University, which are necessary in the University’s pursuit of internal and external assessments.
The initiative was warmly welcomed by Chancellor Camacho, Jr., stating that this will “harmonize” data gathering procedure in the University and will aid in the administration’s decision-making. The database system can easily show the uptrend and downtrend, say in the enrollment, which can recommend to the University its best steps in strengthening its three-fold function. Similarly, it can hasten administrative processes. The chancellor furthered that the initiative lies directly on his thrust on future-proofing UPLB’s database infrastructure.
To strengthen AADU’s mandate on quality assurance, Chancellor Camacho, Jr. suggested that the office be renamed so as not to be mistaken as limited to academic assessment. He added that doing so will change UPLB constituents’ mindset on assessment and draw support from them. In response, Dr. Cadiz requested for Chancellor Camacho Jr.’s approval that she meet with the deans and members of their executive committee, as well as the heads of the different service units to elaborate on their and AADU’s role in institutionalizing and strengthening quality assurance in UPLB. (KAE Blanco)
UP among world's top 200 universities in latest Quacquarelli Symonds University Rankings by Subject
Four core academic subjects of UP achieve top rank according to the latest Quacquarelli Symonds University Rankings by Subject. UP is among the world's top 200 universities. You can read related details from the Rappler Facebook Page. (March 4, 2021)
AADU met with CJCJ to present QA roadmap
AADU met with Chancellor Camacho Jr. last March 2, 2021 and made some reports and presentation related to the quality assurance roadmap for the university. You can read related details from the UPLB Facebook Page. (March 3, 2021)
CAFS prepares for AUN-QA certification
A four-day workshop was held by CAFS in preparation for the ASEAN University Network – Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) certification for its degree programs. You can read related articles from UPLB CAFS. (March 2, 2021)
BS ChE, DVM are now AUN-QA-certified
The BS Chemical Engineering (BS ChE) and the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree programs of UPLB have received certification as accredited programs under the ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance (AUN-QA). This brings the number of degree programs in UPLB that have received AUN-QA certification to seven. More details about this from the UPLB main website.(January 7, 2021)
Congratulations BSChE and DVM!
Congratulations to our two degree programs - BS. CHEMICAL ENGINEERING and DOCTOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE for passing the AUN-QA Remote Assessment last 26-30 October2020!
AUN-QA concludes chem eng’g, vetmed assessment
The five-day ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance Programme Assessment for UPLB’s BS Chemical Engineering (BS ChE) and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programs were concluded by a closing program last Oct. 30. Preliminary findings were mentioned which includes the strengths and areas of improvement of the programs. More details about this from the UPLB main website.(November 3, 2020)
AUN-QA begins assessment process for chem eng’g, vetmed
The week-long ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) programme assessment process for BS Chemical Engineering (BS ChE) of CEAT, and the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) of CVM began last October 26. More details about this from the UPLB main website.(October 28, 2020)
184th AUN-QA Assessment Opening Program Kicks off Despite Typhoon Quinta
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Top L-R: Dr. Fernando C. Sanchez Jr, UPLB Chancellor; and Prof. Dr. Yahaya Md. Sam, AUN-QA Chief Assessor. Bottom: Gallery shot of some of the delegates and attendees of the opening program. |
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Despite the threats of Typhoon Quinta, the Opening Program for the 184th Asian University Network - Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) Assessment (Remote/On-line) of two UPLB degree programs, namely: B.S. Chemical Engineering (BS ChE) and the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVetMed), kicked off successfully on October 26, 2020 (Monday) at 9:00 AM.
UPLB Chancellor Fernando C. Sanchez, Jr. gave the welcome remarks, while Prof. Dr. Yahaya Md. Sam, the AUN-QA Chief Assessor, gave the opening remarks. Prof./Dr. Yahaya mentioned the challenges and opportunities of assessment during the pandemic. The AUN-QA assessors for B.S. ChE are Prof. Dr. Yahaya from Malaysia and Asst. Prof. Dr. Kageeporn Wongpreedee from Thailand; while for the DVetMed, the assessors are Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ngo Van Thuyen from Vietnam and Dr. Porngarm Virutamasen from Thailand. With them are the members of the AUN-QA Secretariat, Mr. Chawanvit Panprasert (Programme Officer) and Ms. Tarida Dalai (Assessment Officer).
The opening program was attended by Dr. Choltis Dhirathiti (AUN Executive Director), Dr. Cynthia Rose B. Bautista (U.P. Vice President for Academic Affairs), Dr. Alyssa M. Peleo-Alampay (Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Quality Officer), UPLB administrators, deans, QA Coordinators of various colleges, and the SAR (Self-Assessment Review) team members from the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology (CEAT) and the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). The program ended with a photo session and a breakout session for Day 1 of the assessment. (RNC Recario and NM Cadiz / Oct 26, 2020)
CPAf QA Coordinator joins the 2020-2021 ASEAN Train Internal Quality Assurance (TrainIQA) Training Workshop
Rhea L Gumasing, Assistant Professor, CPAf, UPLB
Rhea L. Gumasing, the CPAf QA Coordinator has been accepted into the 3rd cohort of the 2020-2021 ASEAN Train Internal Quality Assurance training program being conducted by University of Potsdam. Her participation has been fully supported by Dr. Nina Cadiz, Director of the UPLB- Academic Assessment and Development Unit (AADU) and was able to secure funding partly from DAAD and UPLB. This training started on Sept. 14, 2020 and will end in October 2021, following a blended mode of learning. The onboarding sessions and workshop with the cohorts’ Leadership commenced remotely using Microsoft Teams this September and October 2020. The output of the sessions is a joint project of Ms. Gumasing with the UPLB Graduate School and AADU. The project is a Satisfaction Survey among active graduate students which aims to put in place a feedback mechanism to determine the strengths of UPLB Graduate school and areas that need further improvement. The results of the survey will be presented to the TrainIQA in August 2021 and to the UPLB Graduate School stakeholders.
If the situation already permits, part of the training will be conducted face-to-face in Potsdam, Germany and in one of the ASEAN member countries. Her participation is seen to be of value to AADU and UPLB, in general, as she will get the exposure and experience in understanding and implementing QA policies in UPLB. (RL Gumasing/NM Cadiz / Oct 16, 2020)
AADU makes roadmap for QA in UPLB
The Academic Assessment and Development Unit or AADU is UPLB's new office for Quality Assurance. More details about this from the UPLB main website.
UPLB sets up new QA office
The UP Board of Regents (BOR) approved the creation of the Academic Assessment and Development Unit (AADU) on December 3, 2018. More details about this from the UPLB main website.
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