Inspiring Innovation through AIMs 2023

by Faye Natividad | Jan 15, 2024 | Bicol Mail, Updates

The University of Nueva Caceres welcomes the new year 2024 brimming with exciting possibilities and teeming with thrilling prospects. Academic Innovations and Movements, as concepts, are a regular occurrence at UNC. We celebrate every single one of them, every single time. They are ingrained in our core as UNCeans. We look to the Chief Architect of our inspiration, our beloved University President, Dr. Fay Lea Patria M. Lauraya. In December 2023, the UNCean community of innovators and forward-thinking movers converged in the Annual AIMs or Academic Innovations and Movements, with the theme: Nurturing a culture of innovation in the University, for Bicolanos everywhere.

The Inception of CALL

The Center for Adult and Lifelong Learning (CALL) is a most worthy brainchild of our Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Romeo M. Sumayo Jr., a champion of adult education. Its inception is the fruition of the vision of President Fay. It was realized after VP Romy was selected to participate in In-Canada Training on Adult Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2018, sponsored by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE).

As a frontline in adult education in the country and member of an international network, part and parcel of VP Romy’s intensive training at the OISE included the development and delivery of institutional agenda for sustainable programs, employing unconventional approaches, and maximizing the emerging trends in educational technology in adult education.

The Innovation of CALL

Now in 2023, our Diamond Jubilee Year, the University of Nueva Caceres relaunched the Center for Adult and Lifelong Learning (CALL) as a fresh academic innovation to better address the contexts and characteristics of today’s adult learners. The competent CALL coordinator and the Director of the University’s Scholarship and Grants Office, Miss Maria Theresa Fajardo, dearly called Ma’am Matet, presented the comprehensive and inclusive design of CALL, fortified and reloaded to be an active agent in expanding opportunities for all, guaranteeing that everybody makes it in UNC and through UNC – in our communities and cities, beyond our campus.

Moving Forward with CALL

UNC subscribes to the idea that it takes an entire community to nurture future-ready, work-ready, and life-ready citizens. It takes active engagement of all the stakeholders to nurture better tomorrows for all. We are grateful to our community movers who responded to the CALL and rose to the invitation to collaborate: Mr. Florencio T. Mongoso, President, General Alumni Association of the University of Nueva Caceres; Ms. Glenda Caguco, Scholarship Focal, Technical Education Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Camarines Sur; Ms. Dionely J. Dematera, Committee Member, Local Government Unit, Camaligan; Ms. Frances Faye Cortan, Business Development Officer, LGU Sagñay; Mr. Michael Angelo V. Lacoste, Executive Assistant, LGU Buhi. With our partners by our side, UNC-CALL can truly fulfill our motto – Not of School, But of Life.

Academic Innovations and Movements Showcase

The University of Nueva Caceres Academic Innovations and Movements (AIMs) 2023 is a culture-building practice to future-proof the instructional delivery of UNC. It intends to reinforce and support UNC’s pursuit of continuous quality improvement and showcase something different that creates value and can be replicated by the rest of the iPeople academic community.

Faculty, Program Heads, and Academic Unit Heads are constantly encouraged to send entries and get a chance to be awarded as Top Innovators of the Year and receive cash prizes. The 2023 AIMs Judges were: Dr. Fay Lea Patria M. Lauraya, University President; Prof. Divinagracia L. David, Assistant Vice President for Human Resources Management; and Mr. Joseph J. Mendoza II, Assistant Vice President for Finance.

The Winning Innovators and Movers

The AIMs 2023 champion is Engr. Edgardo Martinez, Jr., Assistant Dean (College of Engineering and Architecture) with Runner Up, Prof. Agnes Reyes, Dean (College of Computer Studies). Qualifiers are Mr. Lyndon Dela Cruz, Faculty, with Ms. Remy Cuyo, Assistant Principal (Junior High School); Mr. Nikko Junio, Learning Supervisor (Senior High School); and Ms. Charmaine Mamano, Faculty (College of Criminal Justice Education). An advocate of meaningful innovations and partnerships, Engr. Christine Bautista, OIC-Vice President for Research, Extension, and Linkages, concluded this milestone with a message.

Innovating and Moving in the Name of Education

UNC’s Academic Innovations and Movements or AIMs 2023 has become an avenue to exchange ideas and explore best practices, a platform to ignite inspiration and spark creativity, and a road to bring opportunities and create possibilities. AIMs 2023 was an occasion of innovation, a leap into educational transformation, and a demonstration of our core values. We aim to innovate on all fronts and facets in the name of bringing quality education and expanding opportunities for all.