UPD QAO Hosts Benchmarking Meeting and Campus Tour for Naresuan University

UPD QAO hosts benchmarking meeting and campus tour for Naresuan University

Written by: Erick Prynze I. Sazon and Charles Jason C. Ramos
Photo/Video by: Arlyh Hirao & Michael Baguisa
May 19, 2023

Officials and program representatives from the Naresuan University in Thailand visited the University of the Philippines Diliman on May 5, 2023 to learn about the accreditation process through the ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA). The Thai delegation, composed of Dr. Vichayanan Rattanawiboonsom, Dean of the Faculty of Business, Economics, and Communications; Dr. Sukij Khorchurklang, Vice Dean for Planning and Quality Assurance; Dr. Pakchira Nugbanleng, Vice Dean for Academic Services and International Relations; Dr. Chairat Choeysawan, Head of Economics Department; Dr. Fuangfa Panya, representative from the management programme; Dr. Worapat Yoelao, representative from the tourism management programme; and Mr. Thapana Chiamtae, Quality Assurance Unit Officer, was formally welcomed by the UP Diliman Quality Assurance Office (UPD-QAO) led by its Director, Prof. Aura C. Matias. Prof. Joseph Ryan G. Lansangan, Dean of the School of Statistics, was also present to share the experience of the School during the remote AUN-QA assessment of the Bachelor of Science in Statistics program last year.

The meeting primarily revolved around the preparation of the Self-Assessment Report and the actual assessment itinerary, with the Naresuan University faculty inquiring about how the narratives per criterion are structured and what facilities are being considered during the assessment proper.

Director Matias also elaborated on the internal quality assurance (IQA) and external quality assurance (EQA) components of the UP Quality Assurance System, and emphasized the importance of implementing feedback surveys in gathering data that will spur the improvement of services of the university to its different stakeholders. Institutional videos of the University of the Philippines Diliman and Naresuan University were also shown during the meeting.

Dean Vichayanan Rattanawiboonsom and Director Aura Matias exchanged institutional souvenirs as a manifestation of goodwill between the two universities, as formalized in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed last January 2020 that enabled inter-university exchanges and collaborations on research, academic excellence, and extension.

After the discussion, the delegates were given a campus tour by the UPD Quality Assurance Office, through the use of electronic tricycles (e-trikes) maintained by the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Institute (EEEI).

Shared facilities that were shown during the remote assessment last year formed part of the itinerary: University Health Service, Office of Student Housing (Acacia Dormitory), Computer Center, sports facilities maintained by the College of Human Kinetics, Office of the University Registrar, and University Library.

Unit heads and focal persons of each facility gave quick introductions while touring the delegates. The campus tour ended at the Diliman Interactive Learning Center building where the delegates met with the Office of International Linkages-Diliman (OIL-Diliman) and program representatives from the Asian Institute of Tourism (UPAIT), the Virata School of Business (VSB), and the School of Economics (UPSE) to discuss opportunities for collaboration over lunch.

After the meeting, the OIL-Diliman presented a replica of the Oblation statue to the delegation and exchanged contact details to continue discussions with program counterparts in Naresuan University.