Melinda dP. Bandalaria

Professor

Dr. Melinda dela Peña Bandalaria serves as a professor at the University of the Philippines Open University and has held the position of Chancellor since 2016. Additionally, she served as the President of the Asian Association of Open Universities from 2017 to 2019 and currently chairs the Asian MOOCs Steering Committee. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Bandalaria has actively contributed to the development of course modules for open online courses and has been engaged in teaching through this mode of instruction. Her extensive research focuses on open online courses and the integration of Universal Design for Learning into Open Educational Resources (OERs) and online courses. Dr. Bandalaria has authored/co-authored numerous journal articles and book chapters in the field, and she is frequently invited to deliver keynote addresses at national and international conferences. Recognized as a dedicated advocate of open education, she played a pivotal role in pioneering the development and implementation of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in the Philippines. These MOOCs, utilized as OERs, represent a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing the quality of education in Higher Education Institutions across the country. Amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Bandalaria has spearheaded the #OPENFight initiative at the university. This initiative is designed to support educational institutions in transitioning from traditional classroom instruction to remote teaching and learning. By doing so, she ensures the continuity of learning during these unprecedented times.