Programs

The Watch! Tap! Shop! Team Jordan Rae Costanilla, Rajan Joaquin Llaguno (on screen) and Anna Porsche Gutierrez with (from center to right) Alvin Peñaflor, Erickson Llaguno, and Asst. Prof. Raz dela Torre On 3 July 2025, the Gawad Pangulo Grant-awarded team behind Watch! Tap! Shop! convened at Bukas Space in the UPOU-DICT Building, Diliman, to explore integrating their interactive e-commerce platform into short films and student projects. The meeting brought together team members Anna Porsche Gutierrez, Erickson Llaguno, Alvin Peñaflor, and Asst. Prof. Raz dela Torre onsite, with Rajan Joaquin Llaguno and Jordan Rae Costanilla joining remotely. The session [...]

Four students from UPOU’s BA Multimedia Studies program engage in a 13-week international collaboration on language learning technologies.Four students from the Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies (BAMS) program under the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) at the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) completed a 13-week virtual exchange hosted by the School of Engineering at the University of Tokyo. Held from 21 April to 14 July 2025, the Computer-Assisted Language Learning (CALL) program was facilitated by Professor Yuka Akiyama.The participating students—Joinne Sherry May Alcano, Cathleen Kayley Basaca, Renzel Ivy Francisco, and Miki Tolentino—collaborated with fellow participants [...]

In a field where dedication, innovation, and impact are essential, Assistant Professor Mari Anjeli Crisanto stands out as a remarkable educator and scholar. She continues to exemplify the transformative role of academic leadership in today’s dynamic educational landscape. Her work not only advances knowledge but also inspires students, colleagues, and communities, making her recent recognition a well-earned milestone in a career defined by excellence. From 2022 to 2023, Asst. Prof. Mari Anjeli Crisanto was among a select group of online learners who completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice at the University of Liverpool. This professional development opportunity was made [...]

Members of the MMK Creative Team together with UPOU faculty, staff, students, and other online participants during the special screening event at the UPOU CCDL Auditorium. About 200 online and onsite attendees joined the special screening event, “Paglaya: An MMK Special Screening and Conversation on the Infodemic, Vulnerability and Media Advocacy”, held on 9 July 2025 at the Centennial Center for Digital Learning (CCDL) Auditorium of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU). The event featured the Director’s Cut of “Sim Card” and “Bintana”, a two-part episode from the acclaimed local television series Maalala Mo Kaya (MMK), directed by [...]

Assistant Professor Lei Kristoffer Lactuan of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS), University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), served as a resource speaker at MoodleMoot Philippines 2025, held on 4 July 2025 at the Luxent Hotel, Quezon City. The annual conference, which took place from 2 to 4 July, gathered learners, educators, and innovators from various local universities and colleges, government agencies, and industry sectors to explore the latest developments in digital learning using the Moodle platform. In his presentation, AI-ducation: Transforming the Way We Learn, Assistant Professor Lactuan who is also Assistant to the Director of [...]

FICS Dean, Dr. Roberto Figueroa, Jr. (third from right) and his mentee, Mr. Liam Iñaki Gillamac (rightmost), pose with ECTI-CON 2025 session chairs, Dr. Budi Halim Santoso of Duta Wacana Christian University, Indonesia, and Dr. Matsunori Makino of Chuo University, Japan along with other presenters from Chulalongkorn University. At the forefront of immersive technology in education, Dr. Roberto B. Figueroa, Jr., from the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS), delivered an insightful presentation during the parallel and tutorial sessions of the 22nd International Conference on Electrical Engineering/Electronics, Computer, Telecommunications and Information [...]

In a continued effort to foster cross-cultural dialogue and artistic exchange, students and educators from the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), Meiji University, and Kansai University came together for a two-part collaboration series under the Philippines and Japan Collaboration and Exchange 2025 initiative. Spearheaded by the Education Committee of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) student organization, Kathaang Ugnayan ng Likhain, Talastasan, Obra’t Ulat (KultOU), the events showcased creative workshops and research presentations that highlighted the transformative power of the arts in building mutual understanding. When Fashion Meets Poetry: Meiji and UPOU Students Share Creative [...]

June 25, 2025 — The University of the Philippines Department of Broadcast Communication (DBC) held a curriculum workshop at the University Hotel, UP Diliman, aimed at rethinking academic strategies for a rapidly transforming media landscape. Among the invited speakers was Assistant Professor Raz dela Torre, who shared his insights on current media trends, content development, and industry challenges from both creative and educational perspectives. Assistant Professor Raz dela Torre discusses the current state of the entertainment industry, including its latest trends and pressing issues, with members of the Department of Broadcasting and Communication, UP Diliman. Entitled “What’s [...]

Three faculty members from the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) of the UP Open University have been selected to participate in the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and University of the Philippines (UP) Doctoral Collaboration Program.They submitted their dissertation topics and proposals to their respective programs which were subsequently approved by the relevant academic units at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Assistant Professor Cecille Moldez has begun pursuing her research on data analytics and visualization under the UTS Transdisciplinary School, beginning May 2025. On the other hand, Assistant Professor Joyce Mae Vega will be working on her [...]

As part of the research mentoring process, Professor Jean A. Saludadez of the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) of the University of the Philippines Open University, together with Dr. Christine Faith Avila of the Ateneo de Davao University, a Doctor of Communication (DComm) dissertation mentee of Professor Saludadez, participated at the 41st Annual Qualitative Analysis Conference held from 18 to 20 June 2025 at the Delta Hotels Quebec, Old Quebec City, Canada. With the theme The Temporality of Lived Experience and Everyday Lives, the conference brought together scholars and practitioners from around the world to share insights [...]