U.S., Philippines initiate higher education fellowship

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The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) launched on May 13 a new fellowship program aimed at Philippine academic officials.

The initiative is designed to foster the development of innovative and high-impact programs within higher education.

Titled the Higher Education Innovation Leaders Fellowship Program, this initiative is a component of the five-year, Php1.6 billion ($30 million) United States-Philippines Partnership for Skills, Innovation, and Lifelong Learning (UPSKILL). It will assemble 16 senior academic officials from across the Philippines for an eight-month learning experience aimed at catalyzing innovation within their respective organizations.

“This fellowship program signifies our commitment to nurturing leaders who will drive change and fortify the nation’s higher education sector through innovative and collaborative efforts,” stated Ryan Washburn, USAID Philippines Mission Director, at the launch event.

The first cohort includes two CHED officials and senior academic figures from multiple prestigious institutions, including Ateneo de Davao University, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle Universities in Manila and Laguna, Far Eastern University, Mapua University, Mariano Marcos State University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Saint Louis University, University of the Philippines, and the University of San Carlos.

The program will feature sessions on global higher education trends, organizational reforms, and the development of innovative solutions to amplify the impact of educational programs. A notable aspect of the fellowship is a week-long immersion at Arizona State University, renowned for its innovation in the education sector.

“These fellows are set to bring valuable contributions and foster advocacies for transformation through this fellowship. I anticipate their collective efforts will significantly enhance our higher education system, leading to inclusive growth in the Philippines,” remarked CHED Chairman Dr. J. Prospero De Vera III.

At the event, USAID and CHED also signed a memorandum of understanding that delineates the collaboration framework under the UPSKILL program. This agreement includes provisions for technical assistance from USAID in developing the Philippines’ Higher Education Sectoral Development Plan and implementing the Philippine Qualifications Framework. Additionally, USAID will aid in the creation of CHED’s One-Touch Management Information System, which aims to streamline access to services and enhance data visualization for CHED and its stakeholders.

Since 2012, USAID has contributed over Php3 billion ($60 million) towards enhancing the Philippine higher education sector.