UPOU to Launch Four-Year Project on Advanced Chatbot Ecosystem for Student Support
The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) is set to implement a major four-year research and development initiative titled “Advanced Chatbot Ecosystem for Comprehensive Student Support and Learning Experience in Higher Education.” The project aims to strengthen student and staff support services through a practical, user-centered, and sustainable AI-driven chatbot system.
Led by Dr. Reinald Adrian Pugoy from the Faculty of Information and Communication Studies (FICS) with Dr. Ria Mae Borromeo also from FICS, and Ms. Rhea Subong-Espina from the University of the Philippines Visayas, the research team brings together expertise in artificial intelligence, academic services, and user experience design to address the growing demand for accessible and responsive support systems in higher education.
Spanning four years and divided into two phases, the project adopts a systematic and iterative approach. Phase 1, covering the first two years, will focus on data preparation and chatbot development, laying the technical and informational foundations of the ecosystem. This phase will involve organizing institutional data and designing intelligent chatbot functionalities that can effectively respond to student and staff inquiries.
Phase 2, which will run for the succeeding two years, will concentrate on developing a human-in-the-loop framework and conducting user experience evaluations. This component emphasizes the role of human oversight in AI systems, ensuring that the chatbot remains accurate, ethical, and responsive to users’ evolving needs. Continuous feedback from users will guide refinements to improve usability and trust in the system.
The project aims to improve the accessibility and responsiveness of university support services by using AI to complement existing human support mechanisms. It also seeks to contribute to discussions on responsible and sustainable AI use in higher education.
Emerging Interdisciplinary Research (EIDR) grants from the UP System provide funding of up to ₱2.5 million per project for four projects annually. This project reflects UPOU’s commitment to leveraging emerging technologies to enrich learning experiences and support systems for its academic community.