Biliran Province State University (BiPSU) will host a 2-day Strategic Foresight Masterclass for its 25 executives on July 12-13, 2021, in collaboration with the Center for Engaged Foresight (CEF).

"The Leading from the Future: Strategic Foresight Masterclass was designed to introduce, immerse, expose and increase the anticipatory knowledge and capacities of the Biliran Province State University Executive Leadership. This is curated to provide key leadership and key officials with the necessary working knowledge and insight to use futures as an asset, resource, and tool to change and transform today," Professor Shermon O. Cruz, Director and Futurist at Center for Engaged Foresight (CEF)and Chair at the Association of Professional Futurists expressed during a coordination meeting with BiPSU on May 10

The Strategic Foresight Masterclass will introduce, discuss and immerse participants in an action learning journey that includes:

• What is and Why Futures Thinking?
• What is and Why Strategic Foresight, Anticipatory Leadership and Governance in University Futures?
• What is the Association of Professional Futurists Six Critical Steps to Building Anticipatory Leadership and Governance?
• Learning how to use powerful strategic foresight tools and methods.
• Present and discuss strategic foresight case studies in university and food futures.
• Consolidate insights and determine the next steps for BiPSU's futures thinking program and research agenda.

According to UNESCO, the lack of futures literacy impedes us from discovering and creating new ideas and navigate unknown terrains. Futures thinking enables people and organizations to identify and re-imagine the future (Miller, 2018). Decision-making in education often focuses on the short-term, looking to make established practices more efficient. By opening perspectives beyond immediate constraints, Futures Thinking enhances policymakers' and practitioners' capacity to anticipate change, grasp opportunities, and cope with threats.

"It is expected that the masterclass would serve as a springboard for our university officials toward greater understanding and eventual application of FFT in our institution, especially as we prepare ourselves for the Institutional Strategic Planning for the fiscal year 2022 come July of this year. This activity could also serve as preliminary preparations for an establishment of a Center for Strategic Foresight and Future Studies in the region," Mr. Joedel Peñaranda, Director of Institutional Planning Office (IPO) and Lead Organizer of the event, stressed during the meeting.

Dr. Marianne B. Mendoza, Director of Research & Innovation (RIO) Office, also shared during a coordination meeting today that the activity is crucial in the finalization of the University Research Agenda as Strategic Foresight and Futures-Thinking could serve as a rudder to where the institutional will traverse years from now.

Biliran Province State University (BiPSU) received recognitions during the virtual awarding of the 2021 Gawad CHEDRO VIII last May 20.

The said award-giving activity spearheaded by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was organized to recognize Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the region which have made exemplary performance in different areas including the conduct of COVID-19-Related Activities, securing of Certificate of Program Compliance (CoPC), and production of graduates of the Scholarship for Graduate Studies- Local Program, among others. In an interview, BiPSU University President Dr. Victor C. Cañezo, Jr. noted that BiPSU's recognition is not just a milestone of the institution, it is also the success of all its employees and stakeholders working behind.

"Being an awardee by CHED with these three recognitions is a proof of our continued commitment in serving quality education for our students while ensuring that our employees and the community are also well taken cared of," he added.

BiPSU has eight COPC

With BiPSU's efforts in advancing its programs to ensure that quality education is provided to its students, BiPSU was again recognized by CHED with its eight programs awarded with CoPC. Certificate of Program Compliance or CoPC is a recognition by CHED that the degree programs offered by an SUC are in full compliance with the policies, standards, and guidelines set by the commission. BiPSU's eights programs with CoPC include Bachelor of Science in Information Systems (BSIS), Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management (BSHM), Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA), Bachelor of Arts in Communication (BA Comm), Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd), Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSEd), and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN).

BiPSU in COVID-19 initiatives

Meanwhile, BiPSU's initiative to help the community in the mitigation of COVID-19 was also recognized in the said awarding. As soon as the province was put into community quarantine last year, BiPSU immediately extended its resources to Biliranons and the nearby cities. Among these initiatives include provision of meals, washable facemasks and PPEs to frontliners around the province, distribution of improvised intubation box to the Biliran Provincial Hospital (BPH), different Rural Health Units (RHUs) and nearby healthcare facilities, and extension of assistance to stranded students in Biliran. According to Dr. Cañezo, BiPSU and the rest of the community share the same fight, and as an institution with something to offer, BiPSU had always extended and will continue to extend its services to the community.

BiPSU among SUCs with highest SGS grads

BIPSU was also recognized for producing graduates of the Scholarship of Graduate Studies (SGS)-Local Program Graduates of Sending Higher Education Institutions (SHEIs). With 14 graduates from the Main Campus and four from the Biliran Campus, BiPSU is one of the SUCs with the highest numbers of graduates in the said scholarship program. SGS is a program of CHED that provides graduate student-recipients with scholarship privileges that include tuition cost, stipend, book allowance, and transportation allowance. BiPSU, a Sending Higher Education Institution that nominates personnel for the said scholarship, has six graduates of Doctor's Degree and eight graduates of Master's Degree.

Moreover, the 2021 Gawad CHEDRO VIII, attended by the private and public HEI Presidents in the region, is in line with the week-long celebration of the 1st National Higher Education Day and the CHED 27th Founding Anniversary.

Twelve (12) Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the Municipality of Naval entered into Budget Partnership Agreement (BPA) with the Biliran Province State University (BiPSU) during the CSO Consultation and BPA Drafting held at the University Hostel, BiPSU, Naval, Biliran on March 19.

by Joedel Peñaranda, Director of Institutional Planning Office

All five proposed priority programs and projects (PPs) of the Biliran Province State University (BiPSU) for the fiscal year 2022 have been favorably endorsed by the Regional Development Council (RDC) during its 1st Quarter 2021 full council meeting last March 5 held via Zoom.

by Joedel Peñaranda, Director of Institutional Planning Office

School of Engineering (SOE), School of Technology & Computer Studies (STCS), and School of Nursing & Health Sciences (SNHS) emerged as leading delivery units (DUs) among the schools in the university during the Ranking of Delivery Units for the Grant of Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) 2020 last February 24 at the University Hostel.

The ranking of delivery units is consistent with the approved System of Ranking of DUs for the Grant of PBB for 2020 pursuant to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) Mcutive Order № 201, s. 2016.