Saint Mary’s University (SMU) recently concluded a two-day joint training workshop, held on June 10-11, 2025, in partnership with the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) Office for Institutional Development in Higher Education (OIDHE). The program brought together SMU faculty members, deans, and department heads, all focused on strengthening their academic offerings by enhancing their skills in outcomes-based curriculum review and designing student-centered course syllabi.

Day one of the workshop centered on Curriculum Review and Alignment. Kicking off the program, Dr. Regina Ramel, Dean of SMU’s School of Accountancy and Business, provided an overview of SMU’s current program situation and detailed the university’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for curriculum review. Participants then delved into “Understanding the Curriculum Process” during Session 1, followed by a “UPLB Case Presentation – Curriculum Review and Syllabus Alignment” in Session 2, offering valuable insights from UPLB’s experience.

Following these informative sessions, attendees engaged in hands-on workshops. These practical exercises focused on reviewing and contextualizing program outcomes, as well as ensuring internal alignment by meticulously mapping learning outcomes, content, and assessment strategies. The first day wrapped up with a reflective synthesis session, where participants shared their insights, offered recommendations for curriculum improvement, and provided feedback on the workshop itself.

The training expanded on Day 2 with additional faculty members joining the session, which concentrated on Crafting an Effective Syllabus. A key highlight of the second day was an interactive lecture and workshop dedicated to Course Learning Outcome (CLO) formulation, among other critical syllabus design elements.

The training workshop was facilitated by distinguished resource persons, including Dr. Frenchie Belle O. Lo, Dr. Rufo Gil Z. Albor, Dr. Ma. Cristine Concepcion D. Ignacio, Dr. Ronilo Jose D. Flores, and Asst. Prof. Juan Paulino S. Trespalacio, Jr. This collaborative initiative underscores the shared commitment of Saint Mary’s University and the University of the Philippines Los Baños to fostering academic excellence and ensuring that educational programs remain robust, relevant, and effectively prepare graduates for the complexities of the modern world. Notably, this workshop marks one of seven collaborative activities scheduled between UPLB and SMU for Academic Year 2024-2025.