University of the Philippines (UP) President Angelo A. Jimenez formally launched the 10 UP Flagship Programs (FP) on 18 June 2024 in time with UP’s 118th Founding Anniversary. The fourth FP is “Open Distance e-Learning (ODeL) for National and Global Reach,” which the UP Open University was commissioned to fulfill when it was created in 1995.
ODeL is the very heart of UPOU, and the UP System’s embrace of it as its core strategic function is an amplification of the ongoing mission of UP Open University. UPOU has long championed ODeL, advocating for initiatives such as the passage of RA 10650, the Open Distance Learning Act. With the UP President’s support and the integration of the entire UP System into ODeL, these efforts will be significantly strengthened and unified.
The fourth Flagship Program, ODeL, seeks to “revolutionize education by providing accessible and inclusive learning opportunities through innovative online platforms.” It is aptly articulated through the UP VINTA or UP Ventures for Innovative Transnational Academia. UP VINTA embodies a commitment to transcend geographical borders and deliver UP quality education to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and their families. The program is driven by the noble purpose of making UP education accessible and borderless, ensuring that knowledge knows no bounds. This is parallel with UPOU’s mission to provide Filipinos everywhere access to quality higher education through innovative methods of teaching and learning that are designed to be responsive to their needs as well as to national development priorities.
UP VINTA stands on four pillars: inclusivity, quality instruction, innovation, and public service. During the launch, President Jimenez, in collaboration with UPOU, highlighted these aspects as fundamental to the program’s mission to serve Filipinos globally.
The inaugural launch of UP VINTA took place in Japan on 24 March 2024. President Jimenez emphasized UP’s commitment to innovation and inclusivity, positioning UP VINTA as a symbol of a progressive, globally connected university dedicated to empowering learners worldwide. Along with UPOU Chancellor Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria and UP President Jimenez, UP Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Leo DP Cubillan, and UPOU Office of Public Affairs Director Myra Almodiel, Linkages Officer Ms. Margaret Jarmin-Suarez with representatives from the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Tokyo, Japan.
Subsequent launches were held in Thailand on 18 May 2024, where Chancellor Bandalaria led an engaging open forum to encourage dialogue and feedback. With Dr. Bandalaria, President Jimenez and Ms. Suarez were UP Vice President for Legal Affairs Abraham Rey Acosta and Vice President for Development Dan Peckley. They are aslo joined by H.E. Millicent Cruz Paredes, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the Kingdom of Thailand.
The launch was held in Dubai on 8 June 2024, in collaboration with the Philippine Consulate General headed by H.E. Alfonso Ferdinand Ver, Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Arab Emirates. VP Acosta and VP Peckley were also with Dr. Bandalaria, President Jimenez, and Ms. Suarez, as well as Dr. Shiela Bonito, Dean of the College of Nursing of UP Manila, Dr. Joane V. Serrano, Dean of the UPOU Faculty of Management and Development Studies, and Asst. Prof. Ria Cabanes, Program Chair of the UPOU Master of Nursing Program.
The most recent event was in Taiwan on 16 June 2024, where Chancellor Bandalaria, President Jimenez and Ms. Suarez were joined by Asst. Prof. Luisa Gelisan, UPOU University Registrar, Dr. Augustus C. Resurreccion, UP Vice President for Administration and representatives from the Migrant Workers’ Office (MWO) in Taiwan and Mayor Hou Yu-Ih of New Taipei City.
Future launch events are planned, with the next one scheduled for 11 August 2024, at the Bayanihan Center in Kennedy Town, Hong Kong. This event invites all Filipinos in Hong Kong to learn about the opportunities UPOU offers.
Written by Anna Cañas-Llamas ♦ Edited by Dr. Myra C. Almodiel and Ms. Margaret Jarmin-Suarez
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