Studies show that it is the quality of leadership that separates the more effective academic institutions from the less effective ones, with successful schools enjoying collaborative management, purposeful leadership, and strong links between the leader’s vision and day-to-day practice.
Taking this into account, the University of the Philippines and the National University of Singapore (NUS) through the Centre for Development of Teaching and Learning implemented the Temasek Foundation-NUS Program on Developing University Leaders and Educators (DULE) to “enable leaders to think beyond their own disciplines and lead in ways that support larger institutional objectives.”
Specifically, the program seeks to advance and sustain the culture of teaching and learning on campus; design, implement, assess and improve academic programs that cater to a rapidly evolving 21st century workplace; and harness technology to foster significant learning experiences for students.
The Office of International Linkages under the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs is the main organizer for the University of the Philippines.
NUS professor leads a session during the situational analysis workshop (Photo by the Office of International Linkages)
About 100 institutional leaders (presidents, vice presidents, chancellors and vice chancellors), academic leaders (deans, associate deans, department chairs, directors, and senior faculty members) and other faculty members from 10 higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines are taking part in the seminar workshops, study visits to Singapore, and a sharing forum that are all geared towards the exchange of ideas and capacity building.
The HEIs selected to participate in the program are the University of the Philippines Diliman, University of the Philippines Los Baños, University of the Philippines Manila, University of the Philippines Open University, Bicol University, Central Mindanao University, Mariano Marcos State University, Mindanao University of Science and Technology, Silliman University, and University of San Carlos.
The program, funded by the Philippine Commission on Higher Education and Singapore-based Temasek Foundation, started in June 2014 with an introduction and situational analysis.
Since September last year, four training sessions have been conducted for institutional leaders and academic leaders.
The program has likewise sent the first batch of institutional leaders to Singapore for a two-day study visit in December 2014; the second batch is scheduled to leave in May 2015.
The program will end in July 2015.
