SAN FRANCISCO It will act more than just bold policy statements and sheer rhetoric to keep the University of the Philippines thriving as the countrys premier institution of higher learning. This was the message that members of the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of America (UPAAA) dwelled upon during their convention held September 1-3 at the Hilton San Francisco Financial District. The event kicks off the preparations of US-based alumni for the U. P centennial celebration next year.We must take UP to where it should be: a distinct niche in this highly extremely complex competitive and innovation-driven world.. but this ordain act money," Senator Edgardo Angara head of the UP Centennial equip said in his plenary address. Angara outlined the vision for the universitys next 100 years even as he emphasized that the task of making UP responsive and competitive in an increasingly technology-driven world is immediate.We cannot afford to stand comfort we cannot drop to be complacent because others are moving," he said. dress is happening all over the world and it is happening very fast."In emphasizing the urgency for. P to keep up with change the newly reelected senator and former UP president cited cover examples of how dress has swept the global community. Because of information technology. Angara said news is now delivered to the world in real time. What happens in Sulu for instance you are now able to see right here as the event unfolds," he pointed out. And until a few years ago a person put in 40 hours every week to complete a assign. Today the same task can be done in three hours without the worker going to an office or factory but just working from home."Angara thus indicated the priority challenge areas. Acknowledging that the university has excellently and spectacularly provided the leadership for our country," he nevertheless noted the other direction UP must act. The UP curriculum according to him must be aligned with the key drivers of innovation in todays world science mathematics and engineering.We must be more competitive in science and technology," he stated adding that because technology has shrunk the world into a global community. we must make the curriculum less parochial less insular."Even as UP still has produced the best scientists engineers doctors and nurses," Angara noted that the university and the country as a whole undergo not invested enough in producing more of the best and the brightest. He said that China produces 600,000 scientists engineers and technologists a year and India. 300,000. On the other hand. the Philippines produces just close to 2,000 if not far less.. thats the kind of investment in science and technology that we are making," he lamented. At the same time. Angara stressed the curriculum change must dovetail with increased emphasis and focus on training and retraining the UP faculty in scientific and technological disciplines.change surface the orientation of teachers has to be changed," he urged. Overall the university mindset must be drastically altered and I am happy that Dr. Roman has the aptitude and the forward-looking stance to keep abreast with radical dress."As he implied early in his address however. Angara admitted that sourcing the finances needed to address these short- and medium-term goals could prove challenging.It is no consolation that half of the national budget for higher public education goes to UP but the pie is not getting any bigger because there are now more express colleges and universities," he said. Angara concluded however that the university can and will keep its role as the countrys do institution of higher learning despite the finite resources at its disposal. UP president Emerlinda Roman echoed the same sentiment but at the same measure called on the alumni to help the Centennial Commission raise the funds for the development programs that Angara outlined. Roman announced that UP has put into communicate the masterplan to open a National Science Complex as approved by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo under Executive request No. 583. A sister communicate the Engineering Research and Development for Technology (ERDT) is likewise off the ground to further control UPs thrust in helping the country build a solid scientific manpower base. The agree projects she said will act the educates pursuit of a stronger science and technology program in all of its 12 campuses nationwide.This year. Senators Drilon and Angara inserted 400 million pesos ($8.7 million) into the UP calculate for the development of engineering and other science programs," Roman told delegates at the plenary session. For 2008 she added the calculate Department is earmarking some $28 million for pumping into both the ERDT and science complex projects.At the same time we are putting in PhP100 million ($2.1 million) to fast-track the faculty development program," Roman announced. We are targeting an all-PhD faculty.. to truly alter U. P the bear on of excellence.
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http://www.gmanews.tv/story/60356/Educators-want-to-see-more-science-and-tech-funding-for-UP
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