The Temasek Foundation-National University of Singapore (TF-NUS) has designed a program on Developing University Leaders and Educators (DULE) to provide a platform for young, middle, and senior academic leaders to engage in a holistic learning program that aims to create a campus wherein institutional/academic leaders are capable of (1) advancing and sustaining a culture of teaching and learning on campus; (2) designing, implementing, assessing, and improving academic programmes that cater to a rapidly evolving 21st century workplace; and (3) harnessing appropriate modes of technology to foster significant learning experiences for students.
In March 2013, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) through its Chairperson Patricia B. Licuanan, selected ten State Universities and Colleges (SUCs), which could contribute to and benefit most from the DULE program, these include: the University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman, UP-Los Baños, UP-Manila, UP-Open University, Bicol University, Mariano Marcos State University, Mindanao University of Science and Technology, Silliman Univeristy, University of San Carlos, West Visayas State University. UP being the National University was also appointed by CHED as the implementing organization.
A seminar and situational analysis was held on 2 June 2014 at the Marine Science Institute, UP-Diliman, which was attended by 60 delegates from the 10 participating universities wherein the prevalent practices at the respective universities were determined to enable the programme facilitators to customize the programme considering the needs of the participants.
The first batch of the TF-NUS DULE Academic Leadership training was held on 2-11 September 2014. 60 participants of whom 25 were institutional leaders (Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Chancellors, and Vice-Chancellors) and 35 were academic leaders (Deans, Directors, Institution Heads, and Department Chairs) from five selected universities: UP-Diliman, UP-Los Baños, UP-Manila, Bicol University, and University of San Carlos. The training was done in two parallel sessions: 3-day training for institutional leaders and 8-day training for academic leaders. Institutional Leaders’ sessions were geared towards the making of a good/better administrator highlighting the following topics: leadership in university management, identifying/nurturing of academic leaders, scaling up educational innovations and quality assurance in education.
Institutional leaders were briefed about a Singapore Study Visit to be held this coming December 2014. Sessions for the academic leaders introduced them to different teaching tools/models that would enable them to improve teaching/mentoring in their respective HEIs. Academic leaders were also required to draft mini-project proposals applying the tools discussed that could be test-run for 6 months.
