External quality assurance (EQA) onsite review visits for seven (7) undergraduate programs of UP Diliman (UPD) and UP Diliman Extension Program in Pampanga (UPDEPP), College of Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD), and College of Fine Arts (CFA) were conducted during the last two weeks of November 2024. The review visits were organized using the format of ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) program assessments. In UPDEPP, the Bachelor of Science in Business Management, Bachelor of Arts (Business Economics), and Bachelor of Arts (Applied Psychology) programs, underwent the three-day EQA Type A review visit last November 20-22, 2024. Meanwhile, the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Industrial Design), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Communication), and Bachelor of Fine Arts (Art Education) programs of CFA, and the Bachelor of Science in Community Development program of CSWCD were subjected to the external review visit last November 27-29, 2024.
A review visit for a degree program being subjected to EQA Types A-C is headed by a Lead External Quality Reviewer who is assisted by an External Quality Reviewer. A batch with four (4) degree programs undergoing the simultaneous external review visit is led by a Chief External Quality Reviewer who is the most senior of the Lead External Quality Reviewers in terms of experience in doing quality assurance.
Professor Emeritus Dr. Irene Villaseñor of the College of Science-Institute of Chemistry served as the Chief and Lead External Quality Reviewer for UPDEPP. She was joined by Asst. Prof. Lucia P. Tangi of the College of Mass Communication (CMC)-Department of Journalism as External Quality Reviewer of the BA Business Economics program. Prof. Ma. Amihan Bonifacio-Ramolete, former Dean of the College of Arts and Letters (CAL) and faculty member of the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre Arts, served as the Lead External Quality Reviewer of the BA Applied Psychology program, with Asst. Prof. Joel C. Javiniar who is the Chairperson of the College of Education-Division of Educational Leadership and Professional Services serving as External Quality Reviewer. Prof. Evangeline C. Amor, former Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, UPD Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, and faculty member of the College of Science-Institute of Chemistry served as the Lead External Quality Reviewer of the BS Business Management program, with Prof. Aura C. Matias, UPD QAO Director, former Dean of the College of Engineering, and faculty member of the Department of Industrial Engineering and Operations Research as the External Quality Reviewer.
For the EQA review visit in UP Diliman, Prof. Nina Cadiz of the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) served as the Chief External Quality Reviewer and Lead External Quality Reviewer of the BFA Industrial Design program. She was supported by Asst. Prof. Yhna Therese P. Santos of the School of Library and Information Studies who served as the External Quality Reviewer. Prof. Myra Borines, Director of the UPLB Quality Assurance Office served as the Lead External Quality Reviewer of the BFA Art Education program, with Prof. Ma. Faina L. Diola of the National College of Public Administration and Governance serving as External Quality Reviewer. Assoc. Prof. Ivy D. Suan of the Cesar E. A. Virata School of Business and Director of the Office for the Advancement of Teaching served as the Lead External Quality Reviewer of the BFA Visual Communication program, with Asst. Prof. Gladys Wina B. Nocon of the Asian Institute of Tourism serving as the External Quality Reviewer. Prof. Ruth R. Lusterio-Rico, Dean of the College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP), served as the Lead External Quality Reviewer of the BS Community Development program, with Assoc. Prof. Yany P. Lopez of the CSSP-Department of Geography serving as the External Quality Reviewer.
The three-day onsite EQA review visits for both UPDEPP and UPD featured opening and closing sessions in plenary format, facility tours at the university- and program-levels, and interviews with the college and department administration, academic staff, students, support staff, alumni, and employers. The facility tours and stakeholder interviews are significant segments of the visit because these are used to verify the narratives and evidence presented in the Self-Assessment Reports (SAR) submitted by the programs. Preliminary findings, which covers the strengths and areas of improvement per criterion in the SAR, are presented by the external quality reviewers on the third and last day of the visit. The opening and closing sessions, attended by the college and department administrators, SAR teams, support staff, and faculty members, are organized by the UPD Quality Assurance Office for every batch.
Professor Emeritus Irene Villasenor, Asst. Prof. Lucia Tangi, and Prof. Evangeline Amor interviewed staff of UPDEPP during the facility tour.
The External Quality Reviewers for UP Diliman visit and interview staff of the University Health Service and the Office of University Registrar.
During the closing session for both batches of EQA review visits, the top administrators of UPDEPP, CFA, and CSWCD expressed appreciation of the efforts of the external quality reviewers in visiting their facilities and interviewing the stakeholders. They also expressed commitment to devise strategies to address the areas of improvement pointed out in the preliminary findings.
Clockwise: Director Purisima Panlilio, Prof. Emer. Irene Villaseñor, Dean Marc San Valentin, and Dean Lenore Dela Cruz delivered their messages during the closing sessions in UPDEPP and UP Diliman.
In her closing message addressed to the three units, UPD QAO Director Matias emphasized the value of setting up a quality system that observes the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle within units. She also stressed the need for the units to craft their vision, mission, and goals which should be aligned with that of the University administration, the importance of documentation of everyday practices and crucial operations, the significance of soliciting feedback and analyzing them, and the relevance of meaningful stakeholder engagement.Meanwhile, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Quality Assurance) Dr. Alyssa M. Peleo-Alampay expressed hope that more programs will follow suit after seeing the value of QA activities in units that have undergone EQA. Finally, Chancellor Vistan lauded the units for committing to the EQA exercise and urged them to continue doing self-assessment, supporting the development of the competencies of academic and support staff, and improving mechanisms for the delivery of services.
Clockwise: Chancellor Edgardo Carlo Vistan, AVP Alyssa Peleo-Alampay, Director Aura Matias, and Dr. Nina Cadiz delivered their messages during the closing session in UP Diliman.
Out of the 77 undergraduate degree programs in UP Diliman, 27 (35%) have undergone EQA as of 2024. The total number of programs that have undergone EQA will increase to 46 (59.74%) by 2028. OVPAA Memorandum No. 2023-15 mandates the conduct of assessment, accreditation, or review of undergraduate degree programs by June 30, 2023, while graduate programs are expected to start writing their Self-Assessment Reports in 2025. For guidance on the conduct of EQA activities, please contact the UPD QAO External Quality Assurance Team via email at eqa_qao.upd@up.edu.ph.
The UP Diliman Quality Assurance (UPD QAO) brought together 26 Quality Assurance Officers from various degree-granting units (DGUs) of UP Diliman at the recently held QA Clinic at the Training Hall of the School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP) last September 09, 2024
University officials and academic and non-academic staff from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) and Central Mindanao University (CMU) visited the University of the Philippines Diliman last August 9, 2024 to meet with degree-granting units (DGUs) and the Quality Assurance Office (QAO) to know more about QA structures in higher education and best practices for external assessment.
The UP System Ad Hoc Committee on Quality Assurance Capacity Building (QACB) and the UP Diliman Quality Assurance Office (UPD QAO) collaborated to deliver three batches of Self-Assessment Report (SAR) Preparation Workshops in May 2024.
This year’s QA Week, organized by the UPD Quality Assurance Office, was anchored in two symbolisms: gears in synchronized motion in an efficient operating system.
The UP Diliman Quality Assurance Office (UPD QAO) held a week-long celebration last April 29 to May 3, 2024 to mark its fourth year anniversary.
The Bachelor of Science of Industrial Engineering (BS IE) program of the University of the Philippines Diliman completed the three-day accreditation visit conducted by the Philippine Technological Council-Accreditation and Certification Board for Engineering and Technology (PTC-ACBET) last April 24-26, 2024.
