Following the university-wide student orientation, more than 400 new students at the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) attended the virtual program orientation for their respective degree programs on 26 September 2026.
The FICS program orientations aimed to introduce the specific academic policies and processes of the Associate of Arts in Digital Design and Art (AADDA), Associate of Science in Information Technology (ASIT), Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies (BAMS), Diploma in Computer Science (DCS), Master of Development Communication (MDC), Master of Information Systems (MIS), and Doctor of Communication (DComm) programs.
Each session was led by the program chairs, namely Asst. Prof. Shari Eunice T. San Pablo for AADDA, Asst. Prof. Lei Kristoffer R. Lactuan for ASIT, Prof. Diego S. Maranan for BAMS, Asst. Prof. Al Francis D. Librero for DCS, Assoc. Prof. Myra C. Almodiel for MDC, Assoc. Prof. Ria Mae H. Borromeo for MIS, and Prof. Jean A. Saludadez for DComm.
Dr. Almodiel discusses online learning in the context of UPOU to MDC students.
Aside from the orientation proper, the new students were also able to interact with faculty members and their classmates through polls, open forum sessions, and breakout rooms.
Dr. Borromeo presents the prompts for the MIS Program Orientation breakout sessions.
Other program-specific initiatives of FICS were also introduced, such as the RIPPLE Lab of the MDC program.
Through the collaborative effort of faculty members and support staff, the program orientations served as part of FICS’ dedication to ensuring students’ seamless and meaningful learning journey at UPOU.
Written by: Jian Martin Tenorio
Edited by: Asst. Prof. Shaira F. Tanay