The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) has achieved a major milestone with its degrees now officially recognized for equivalency by the Ministry of Education of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
This accreditation is expected to open doors for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the UAE to utilize their UPOU degrees for career growth and enhanced employment prospects.
UP President Angelo Jimenez highlighted that the UAE's recognition of UPOU's academic programs emphasizes the global competitiveness of UP education and strengthens the university's mission to empower Filipinos around the world..
“This development will have a profound impact on the professional and economic mobility of our OFWs, enabling them to transition from high-risk, low-paying jobs to safer, more stable, and higher-income positions”, Jimenez said.
“It also strengthens macroeconomic stability by increasing overseas remittances and reducing the financial strain on welfare services extended to OFWs”, he added.
Prior to the said accreditation, OFWs with UPOU degrees reportedly faced challenges in career advancement since their graduate programs were not recognized by the UAE.
Former UPOU Chancellor Melinda Bandalaria said the accreditation aligns with the university’s mission to provide quality education to Filipinos worldwide. “This milestone not only strengthens UPOU’s impact but also reinforces UP’s role in providing universal access to quality education through Open and Distance e-Learning (ODeL)”, Bandalaria said.
Newly appointed UPOU Chancellor Joane V. Serrano vowed to continue expanding UP’s VINTA (UP Ventures for International and Transformative Academia) program. “We are grateful for this accreditation and are fully committed to significantly grow UP’s VINTA program so that Filipinos around the world can avail of high-quality UP education”.
