Four academic programs from the UP Diliman (UPD) College of Fine Arts (CFA) and the College of Social Work and Community Development (CSWCD) underwent an onsite external review conducted by the Quality Assurance Office (QAO).

They are the Bachelor of Fine Arts (Visual Communication), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Industrial Design), Bachelor of Fine Arts (Art Education), and Bachelor of Science in Community Development.

From Nov. 27 to 29, an external review team composed of Nina M. Cadiz, PhD, professor at the Institute of Biological Sciences in UP Los Baños (UPLB); Director Ivy D. Suan of the Office for the Advancement of Teaching; Associate Dean Myra G. Borines of the College of Engineering and Agro-Industrial Technology in UPLB; Dean Ruth R. Lusterio-Rico of the UPD College of Social Sciences and Philosophy (CSSP); Maria Faina L. Diola, DPA, professor at the UPD National College of Public Administration and Governance; Yany P. Lopez, PhD, associate professor at the CSSP; and assistant professors Yhna Therese P. Santos of the UPD School of Library and Information Studies and Gladys Wina B. Nocon of the UPD Asian Institute of Tourism, visited the CFA and the CSWCD to assess four academic programs.

The external review visit began on Nov. 27 at the CFA Multipurpose Design Hall and ended with the closing session and presentation of preliminary findings at the CSWCD Bulwagang Tandang Sora. During the visit, the review team evaluated the CFA and CSWCD facilities, and spoke with the faculty, staff, students, alumni.

The Academic Assessment and Development System of the UP Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs mandates the “continuous assessment and monitoring of the quality and relevance of the University’s academic programs,” —a key component of which is the EQA.

At the closing session following the external team’s presentation of their initial findings, CFA Dean Marc San Valentin thanked the review team, noting that their visit provided a good opportunity for the CFA administration and faculty to both reflect and connect. “This is an important exercise for us because we are forced to look inside. Thank you for having put up the mirror, for identifying the opportunities. Ang activity na ito is an exercise that revolves around radical honesty. So, hopefully we find better options in our programs. Our practices can be described as islands; with activities like EQA we start forming archipelagos,” he said.