The University of the Philippines (UP) Manila will initially offer 21 online courses across various disciplines beginning in December this year through the leading Australian online learning platform OpenLearning.
The short courses are self-paced and accessible through modules.
These will be made available through OpenLearning, an AI-powered platform for short courses, microcredentials, and online degrees operated by the Education Centre of Australia (ECA).
Students need to pass the examination before receiving a certificate and a digital badge that they can upload to their professional profiles.
Enrollment will begin this month. Although the courses will initially be open for UP students and alumni, they will later be offered to the public.
The initial list of short courses includes the following:
- Gender Sensitivity Training
- Artificial Intelligence for Medical Educators
- Medical Informatics for Medical Educators
- Primary Healthcare-Oriented Practice for Specialists
- Clinical Ethics series for Tertiary Hospital Care
- Basic ECG Course for the Non-Internist.
- Smoking and Vaping Cessation Training for the Frontline Physicians
- Brain Death Determination in a Tertiary Hospital
- Good Clinical Practice for Research Certification
- Care for the Elderly in the Philippine Setting
- Clinical Teaching
- Dental Radiography
- Dental Pharmacology
- Public Health Topics
- Leadership in Advanced Nursing
- Advanced Nursing for Critical Care
- Government Design: Legislature, Executive, and Judiciary
- Geriatric and Oncology Nursing
- Forensic Science: The Basics
- Clinical Audiometry
- Clinical Pharmacy
This development comes after UP Manila and OpenLearning formally signed a partnership agreement on October 2.
“The courses are not just lectures. There will also be skills-based acquisition training programs,” UP Manila Office of Continuing Education coordinator Dr. Leonora Fernandez said.
She expressed hope that the online courses will mark the beginning of a time when “everyone in the Philippines and even abroad can have a ‘Tatak UP’ badge.”
UP Manila marks OpenLearning’s first Philippine national university partner, following existing partnerships with several higher learning institutions, including the University of New South Wales, Australian Catholic University, Western Sydney University, and Temasek Polytechnic.
”UP Manila is the first public university that we are working with, and as I know, the most prestigious in the country,” OpenLearning chief executive officer Adam Brimo said.
”We take that responsibility very seriously, and we look forward to working with all of you and supporting you as you launch these programs and you transform the lives of students and professionals around the country and around the world,” he added.
According to the OpenLearning executive, the online courses are expected to boost UP Manila’s visibility and worldwide rankings among universities.
“UP Manila’s partnership with OpenLearning is aligned with our commitment to continuously develop the country’s health human resources, thereby contributing to the achievement of universal health care goals,” UP Manila Chancellor Michael Tee said.
