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Dr. Leorence C. Tandog, Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA), and Prof. Bryan Lloyd Bretaña, Director for International Affairs of the University of Southern Mindanao (USM), attended the ASEAN University Network–Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) Tier 1 Training in Iloilo City on February 9–14, 2026.
The training aimed to help universities better understand the AUN-QA framework and its processes. It also encouraged Philippine higher education institutions (PHEIs) to take part in regional and international quality assurance systems.
Dr. Tandog said the training will greatly help USM, especially as the university continues to implement its Outcomes-Based Education (OBE) curriculum. She shared that the sessions gave her clearer guidance on how to align USM’s programs with international standards. She also expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to attend, saying it was very helpful in her role as VPAA.
After the training, Dr. Tandog immediately met with the Council of Deans. She explained that fully applying the needed improvements may take a year or more. She emphasized that strengthening USM’s education philosophy, program outcomes, and course mapping will improve the quality of its graduates and help raise performance in licensure examinations.
As part of the plan, the university will conduct a series of capacity-building workshops for faculty members. Each batch will include 20 participants who will bring their current syllabi for review and enhancement. The university will also assign trained personnel to guide, review, and support colleges in properly applying the OBE framework.
Dr. Tandog clarified that the transition will not be very difficult since USM has already started aligning some of its programs with OBE principles.
“USM plans to apply for AUN-QA assessment in 2028. AUN-QA is very important for us. We need to do things the right way—not only for accreditation, but to truly improve our programs,” she said.
Meanwhile, Prof. Bretaña thanked CHED for the opportunity to participate. He said the training helped USM better understand the steps needed to prepare for AUN-QA engagement.
Only one higher education institution (HEI) per region was selected to attend the training. Representatives from CHED offices, including the Office of Programs and Standards Development (OPSD) and the Office of Institutional Quality Assurance and Governance (OIQAG), also joined the activity. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED), through its International Affairs Service (IAS), organized and led the training.
