The UPLB Quality Assurance Office (QAO) recently conducted its Second Quality Assurance Officers Planning Workshop. With the theme “Future-proofing Institutional Excellence,” the planning workshop aimed to prepare a QA guide on degree program assessments.

The College Quality Assurance Officers (CQAOs) partake in the workshop as they continue to work towards the improvement of the self-assessment report (SAR).

Dr. Jezie A. Acorda, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and former director of Academic Assessment Development Unit (AADU, now QAO), shared his expertise, and personal experiences and challenges encountered in quality assurance (QA) and in crafting the SAR during his term as AADU director. In discussing the differences in approach of ASEAN and European models, he highlighted that QA goal is not about competition with other universities, but about the university developing and working hard on its own standards to ensure it serves its constituency well using its own resources.

In working with QA, he furthered, certain aspects must be factored in, such as clarity in what the institution is doing with QA, how the institution is doing it, and how the institution evaluates it. He elaborated by discussing the QA cycle, emphasizing on the measurement of the institution’s performance, and having clear judgement in doing QA and knowing areas for improvement. The cycle does not end with the recommendation; it acts continuously, he stressed.

During the workshops, the CQAOs presented their comments and suggestions on the enhancement of SAR, streamlined the procedure for the program assessment, and planned the finalization of the UPLB Quality Assurance Guidelines to Self-Assessment at Programme Level.

Dr. Nina M. Cadiz, UPLB QAO director, encouraged and commended the participants for their hard work and continued dedication for institutional excellence in her closing message.The planning workshop was held at the UPLB QAO with Dr. Edmund G. Centeno, Asst. Prof. Rosemarie D. Eusebio, and Dr. Adeliza A. Dorado successfully moderating it. (JMDDelgado/KAEBlanco)