25.11.2025, 16:00–16:45 o'clock (Europe/Berlin), Stage One
The session will present open education initiatives in the Philippines, focusing on the work of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU). Established in 1995 as part of the national university system, UPOU was mandated to democratize access to quality higher education through distance learning and to lead in the use of modern ICTs. The 2014 Republic Act 10650 (Open Distance Learning Act) further assigned UPOU the role of providing technical assistance to other higher education institutions in implementing open and distance learning.
The session will discuss how open education enables UPOU to fulfill its founding and legal mandates, highlighting key initiatives such as Open Educational Resources, Massive Open Online Courses, Open Book, and Open Journal. It will also explore how these approaches are integrated into formal credit courses and microcredentialing. Finally, a reflexive perspective will show how open education supported the university during the COVID-19 pandemic and continues to expand inclusion and access to learning opportunities.
Professor at the University of the Philippines Open University
Building meaningful learning journeys, helping learners with digital competences regardless of their affinity with technology and bringing a global and open perspective to the table, since 2007!
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