Dr. Joane V. Serrano has been appointed as the fifth Chancellor of the UP Open University (UPOU) by the UP Board of Regents during its 1396th meeting on 30 January 2025. She began her term on 1 March 2025.
Her oath-taking, administered by UP President Angelo Jimenez, was held on 28 February 20205 during UPOU’s 30th Anniversary.
Chancellor Serrano’s journey to this position began in 1995 when she first joined the university as a research associate. With nearly three decades at the university, she has been a part of its evolution as a leading provider of online education. In her vision paper for the chancellorship, she expressed a deep appreciation for the wisdom that comes from balancing respect for history with a forward-thinking vision.
She further explained, “Our future demands more than just adapting to change—it requires the courage to shape it. By learning from our past, we can think strategically, anticipate challenges, and create an inspiring vision for the years to come. This brings me to my vision and strategic plan for UPOU: to become a truly Transformative University of the Future.”
She envisions a Transformative University of the Future with four key components: becoming a sustainable and resilient university, promoting entrepreneurial innovation and creativity in the university, embodying the principles of a learning university, and prioritizing being a healthy university.
The Chancellor emphasized that this vision will be people-centered, recognizing that the university’s strength and success lie in the collective contributions, creativity, and resilience of its diverse community. “At the heart of this vision are the UPOU people—its faculty, staff, students, alumni, partners, and other stakeholders,” she explained.
Dr. Serrano has built a distinguished academic career with a strong focus on sustainability. She is currently a Professor at the Doctor of Sustainability (DSus) and Master of Environment and Natural Resources Management (MENRM) programs at the Faculty of Management and Development Studies (FMDS). Her scholarly work covers inclusive learning, cultural systems, landscape systems, and green behaviors and has been published in national and international journals. She also serves as the editor of the Journal of Management and Development Studies.
Before assuming chancellorship, Dr. Serrano served as Dean of FMDS beginning 2022. Under her term, the Doctor of Sustainability was offered and attracted more than a hundred applicants for admission in its first three offerings. She partnered with various local and international universities and organizations to advance initiatives in mainstreaming biodiversity, sustainable value chains, and climate-smart communities.
In 2023, she led the launch of the Permaculture Systems Design Thinking (PSDT) course and the Permaculture G.A.R.D.E.N. (Growing Appreciation toward Resilience, Development, Entrepreneurship, and Nutrition). That same year, FMDS also launched the Alitaptap Community Currency as part of Sustainability in Action – A Living Laboratory Campus (SiALLC). These initiatives aim to create synergy between instruction, research, and public service to promote and advocate for sustainability.
Dr. Serrano is a recipient of the 2018 Gawad Chancellor for Outstanding UPOU Faculty. She holds a PhD in Development Communication, a Master of Management (Development Management), and a BS in Development Communication, all from the University of the Philippines Los Baños.
She also completed postgraduate intensive courses on Global Change and Planetary Boundaries and the United Nations System and Sustainable Development at the United Nations University in Japan, as well as the Commission on Higher Education – Global Academic Leadership Program (CHED-GALP) at the Asian Institute of Management.
Written by Primo G. Garcia
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