The BU Open University Program espouses a philosophy of open learning and borderless education whose main feature is the physical separation of the learners from the teacher. It is โopenโ In the sense that it gives opportunity to a large number of potential students by bringing the curricular program right in or close to their โdoorstepโ. Unlike in the traditional or residential mode of learning,
individualization of learning will predominate in BU Open University Program since distance learning requires an independent self-learning style on the part of the student. Students are, in short, expected to study on their own time, pace and place. Learning packages, thru print, audio, video, and online were deemed to be the different modalities that can be adopted to connect with the students in remote locations of the region. Learning support to the program will be provided through tutorials and counseling at the Distance Learning Center (DLC). The bases for evaluating student performance are the assignments and supervised examinations at the DCL. Objectives:
The BU University Program seeks to provide wider access to quality education adhering to the highest standards of academic excellence in order to produce trained manpower required for the development of the Bicol Region. Specifically, the program seeks to:
(a) Provide alternative access to quality education by offering degree programs via the distance education mode;
(b) Establish an innovative system of capability enhancement and career development among professionals who are unable to avail of this opportunity thru the traditional instructional delivery mode; and
(c) Develop instructional materials and technology appropriate for distance education. BU Open University was born by virtue of Bicol University (BU) Board of Regents (BOR) Resolution No. 24 on November 20, 1997 approval and it started with the offering of short-term non-degree courses as implemented by the previous administration at that time. Notice that there was a notable gap of seven (7) years before BUOU was able to offer degree courses in 2005. With the main objective of the BU Open University to bring the curricular programs of the University to a wider populace of students in the Region, the BOR Resolution No.24, and Administrative Order (AO) No. 177, series of 2004 was issued to provide the general implementing guidelines for the operation of the BU Open University to offer degree courses under the supervision of BU Graduate School. AO 177 also specified that BUOU shall be headed by a Program Coordinator under the supervision of the Dean of the Graduate School with the Administrative Staff of BUGS serving as the support staff to BUOU. The initial programs identified for pilot test were lodged in the said unit as these are graduate programs, namely: Master in Management (MM); Master of Arts in Public Administration (MAPA) now Master in Public Administration (MPA); and Master in Local Government and Management (MLGM). Such degree programs in the Graduate School were offered in Distance Mode and were able to take off prior to the issuance of CHED CMO No. 27. Thus, the existence and continued offering of the aforementioned programs in BUOU even before CHED came up with CMO to various HEIs for offering Distance Education. In 2017, Bicol University issued a Resolution No.36, series of 2017, approving the restructuring of BU Open University prescribing its organizational structure as well as its mandates and authorizing the allocation of funds for its operation. To fully implement and organize the restructured BUOU, an Implementing Guidelines through an Administrative Order No. 253, series of 2019 for the Assignment of Core and Affiliate Faculty, and Technical Staff of the Open University was issued by Bicol University. This was followed by the issuance of an Administrative Order No. 347, series of 2019 specifying the Revised Implementing Guidelines of the Bicol University Open University. To date, BUOU is manned by its own Dean, Faculty-in-Charge (Professors) and technical staff who have been newly hired and deployed to OU from different units of the University, intended to deliver courses via Distance Education along various degree programs in the Graduate School.
