The Commission on Higher Education Regional Office XI was recognized as the Government Champion for Digital Transformation for its outstanding creativity, innovation, leadership, and impact in the tech industry in Mindanao. This award distinguishes CHED RO XI among the nine nominated government institutions in Mindanao.
The award was presented at the DEVCON Mindanao Summit 2024, a premier event that gathers professionals, business organizations, government entities, and academic workers to celebrate and advance the tech ecosystem in Mindanao, held on June 29-30, 2024, at the SMX Convention Center, Lanang, Davao City.
Under the leadership of its Regional Director, Dr. Maricar R. Casquejo, CESO III, CHED RO XI successfully automated and digitally transformed its office transactions, programs and services. The official CHED RO XI website became fully functional, serving as a landing page for various online services, press releases, sources of data, among others, which resulted in a significant decrease in the lead time for frontline services.
Taking into account the mandate for ease of doing business, CHED RO XI automated the following frontline services, in partnership with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) which are Centers of Development in Information Technology and Computer Engineering:
- application and processing of Special Order (S.O.);
- application and processing of Certification, Authentication, and Verification (CAV) of academic documents;
- electronic submission for Enrollment Lists and Promotional Reports through the HEIs’ portal;
- Online CHED Merit Scholarship Application System;
- Communications and Documents Tracking Electronic System;
- Validation, billing, and liquidation of UniFAST grantees through the UNIFAST XI Scholarship Management System;
- evaluation and processing of program application for Government Permits, Renewal, Recognition, and Certificate of Program Compliance;
- evaluation and processing of Program Curricula, Student Services, Flexible Learning, Limited Face-to-Face Classes, School Calendar, Tuition and Other School Fees, Foreign Students;
- monitoring of programs on HEIs’ compliance with the minimum requirements;
- accounting and budgeting, procurement, inventory and tracking system;
- Human Resource Information System;
- Client Satisfaction Measurement System;
- Queueing System with Online Appointment System and Automated Printing of Certificate of Appearance;
- Centralized Calendar of Activities and Documentation System; and
- Centralized Performance Target and Accomplishment Reports System.
With the support of HEIs’ Presidents/Heads and Registrars, CHED RO XI forged MOAs for the digitization and safekeeping of HEIs’ records, transforming its Records Room into an e-Records Room. This initiative is now being replicated by the HEIs in the Region.
One of the Region’s flagship initiatives, in partnership with former CHED Commissioner Lilian de las Llagas, NEDA XI and DOST XI, is the formulation of REDI for FIRe framework. REDI stands for Resilience in Education Through Development and Innovations. It acts as a guide for HEIs as they embrace FIRe for FIRe-Responsive and Prepared Human Capital in Support to Sustainable Development, and come up with their innovative strategies, programs, projects, and activities on the integration of FIRe in their instruction, research, extension and production functions for their graduates to be FIRe-ready and future-proof. RDC XI supported the implementation of the program through passing RDC Resolution No. 104, Series of 2020.
Aligned with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s thrust on digital transformation, CHED RO XI also spearheaded the conduct of the study titled “Baseline Data on Digital Transformation (DX) of Higher Education Institutions: Mindanao SUCs”, in collaboration with CHED ROs in Mindanao. The project is conducted to support the digital transformation of HEIs in Mindanao by providing them with baseline data to use as the basis for their strategic digital transformation initiatives.