UPLB and UP Visayas have begun their journey to level up their productivity and efficiency through the participation of selected administrative staff in the Administrative Staff Program towards Institutional Resiliency and Excellence (ASPIRE) on Aug. 2.  

UP Diliman Academic Assessment and Development Office, UPLB Academic Assessment Development Unit, UP Visayas (UPV), and UP National Engineering Center (UP NEC) collaborated to conduct ASPIRE.  

ASPIRE is a series of online training workshops designed to equip participants with knowledge, skills, and mindset in developing and implementing a Quality Management System (QMS) that will help organizations attain improved and efficient operations, sustained culture of innovations, customer-driven delivery of services, and empowered human resources.

According to Dean Ferdinand G. Manegbeg of the UP College of Engineering and executive director of the UP National Engineering Center (UP NEC), ASPIRE was born out of a pressing concern in the context of the pandemic and the new normal. “(It is) for our institutions to become more adaptable, creative, and innovative in delivery of our service,” he said.

Dean Manegbeg referred to ASPIRE as a strategic investment that puts a premium on the University’s greatest assets – its human resources or staff – as critical movers and shakers for quality assurance and institutional excellence.

In his message, UPLB Chancellor Jose V. Camacho, Jr., expressed gladness upon learning that ASPIRE is primarily intended for administrative staff, the frontliners in university operations and who will always be a significant part of quality and excellence. “The culture of quality assurance in the University has indeed expanded beyond academic affairs, and our daily operations as the life blood of our existence deserves to be reviewed, assessed, and improved, in order to future-proof our university,” Dr. Camacho said.

UP Visayas Chancellor Clement Camposano for his part expressed his hopes for the participants to take advantage of this opportunity to be part of the great leap forward that the University is taking and to pave the way for the future of education. Dr. Camposano said that developing a QMS will help organizations attain greater efficiency, innovativeness, customer orientation, and empowerment.  

The event was attended by administrative supervisors and from both UPLB and UPV campuses, particularly those with direct involvement in processes and human resources.

Also involved in the event were Dr. Philip Ian P. Padilla, UP Visayas Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; Dr. Nina M.  Cadiz, UPLB Quality Assurance Officer and director of the Academic Assessment and Development Unit; Prof. Steve P. Jaganap, UP Visayas Quality Assurance Project Development Assistant.

Invited resource speakers for the duration of the ASPIRE workshops were  faculty members of UP Diliman, Aura C. Matias, Adeline A. Pacia, and Benette P. Custodio; Engr. Vito P. Aberin, Senior Assessor of Philippine Quality Award (PQA); and Pepito T. Dizon, University Extension Specialist of UP NEC.

ASPIRE workshops will be conducted for 11 days scheduled from August to September 2021. (KEAraguas)