The Central Luzon State University - Distance, Open, and Transnational University (CLSU DOT-Uni) reaches another milestone as it celebrates its silver anniversary with the theme: “The Digital University and the Future of Higher Education in the Philippines and Beyond” on August 29, 2022. National Heroes’ Day falls on August 29, a public holiday, when the Central Luzon State University Open University (CLSU-OU) was formally created through CLSU Board of Regents Resolution No. 50-97. CLSU-OU was rebranded as CLSU DOT-Uni under Board Resolution 16-2018, with the inclusion of transnational as its new facet. Hence, the anniversary was commemorated the next day, August 30, featuring two major events: the DOT-Uni Exhibit and the Curricular Program Colloquium. The DOT-Uni Exhibit sheds light on CLSU Open University’s progressive milestones through its rich historical timeline. DOTUni Dean Dr. Elaida R. Fiegalan in cooperation with Mr. Joey Fernando and Ms. Ma. Celia M. Fernando as exhibition chairpersons who worked with the Anniversary Production Team and the DOTUni Staff, showcases “the Horizon 2030” – an aspiration of DOTUni to accomplish a future-ready learning ecosystem, accreditation of degree programs, more expansive network and stronger linkages, adoption of 5Cs in digital curation of multimedia learning materials, the embodiment of life-long learning, and responsive curriculum. On the otherhand, the Curricular Program Colloquium has a two-fold purpose: to become an avenue presenting curriculum program information of different degree programs and to provide an opportunity to engage with an external evaluator – outsourcing to achieve a good mix of program knowledge in creating local lesson recipes. The Curricular Program Colloquium features the presentation of the ongoing evaluation of the Program Educational Objectives (PEOs) and Program Outcomes (POs) by the DOT-Uni Instructional Materials Review Committee, which is part of the rigid monitoring required for Open and Distance Learning (ODL).

The Instructional Materials Review Committee is spearheaded by the ASEAN University Network-Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) focal person Dr. Emil F. Ubaldo, in collaboration with the DOT-Uni Dean Dr. Elaida R. Fiegalan, College of Education Dean Dr. Regidor G. Gaboy, Associate Professor of Sociolinguistics Dr. Joel M. Torres, Associate Professor of Social Sciences Dr. Leslie Anne L. Liwanag, and Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics Dr. Joan C. Ravago. The said committee targets to finalize curriculum program information to produce high-quality modular course packs, which are part of the DOTUni Lecture Series in 2023. In partnership with an external evaluator Dr. N. Varaprasad, a Principal Consultant of the Singapore Education Consulting Group, graced the colloquium and served as the guest speaker of the event, establishing a sustainable collaboration for more developed and updated curricular programs. “One of the trends in the external environment is that we have a rise of the gig economy, it is when people decide not to work for companies [or institutions] . . .they work for themselves,” he said during his keynote address. “Dr. Varaprasad has been dedicated to the field of education and leadership for 40 years and has made many significant contributions to public service and education in Singapore” (Keynote Speakers’ Bionote, SEAMEO International Conference 2018).