TO ENSURE the quality of their degree programs and improve education for Bicolanos, six public higher education institutions in the Bicol Region signed Memoranda of Agreement to share faculty resources.

The Commission on Higher Education gave its nod to the scheme to share faculty.

Through the adjunct faculty system, the Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology and the Sorsogon State University collaborated for the improvement of their Industrial Technology program; the DEBESMSCAT and Camarines Norte State College for the development of Environmental Science; and DEBESMSCAT and Central Bicol State University of Agriculture for the enhancement of Crop Science and Environmental Science.

On the other hand, DEBESMSCAT and Bicol University agreed to work on Crop Science and Animal Science; SSU and Partido State University on fisheries program; and SSU and BU on technology program.

“The sharing of faculty among universities through the hiring of adjunct faculty was recently approved by the Commission on Higher Education to promote quality assurance and comply with CHED requirements for state colleges being converted into universities,” CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera III said.

Under the policy, state colleges can enter into a MoA with more established public and private universities to allow the latter’s expert faculty to teach in state colleges while their own faculty are completing their graduate degrees and special training.

“Adjunct faculty can also be harnessed in degree programs where there is a dearth of qualified faculty in the region. The adjunct faculty can also be tapped in the research programs of state colleges,” De Vera explained.

The CHED chief explained that sharing of faculty among universities was made possible because of the flexible learning system during the pandemic.

“While it was difficult to get adjunct faculty before because they have to physically teach in in-person or face-to-face classes, they can share their expertise through distance learning or synchronous and asynchronous teaching under the current flexible learning system,” De Vera said.

He added that the signing of the MoA signals the commitment and readiness of HEIs in Bicol to work together to improve the quality of teaching and research particularly in the smaller state colleges.