As part of the ongoing preparation of the Self-Assessment Report (SAR) for the ASEAN University Network – Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) certification, the College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS) held the first BS Agricultural Biotechnology (ABT) Stakeholders Meeting on June 30, 2021 via Zoom.

Attended by BS ABT alumni and employers of BS ABT graduates, the event aims to assess and improve the program by discussing their experiences as students and employers, respectively. The employers who participated in the meeting were from government agencies engaged in research and/or regulations and the industry. Also present were the members of the BS ABT SAR AdHoc Committee. 

During the opening session, CAFS Dean Elpidio M. Agbisit, Jr. delivered the welcome remarks to the participants. It was followed by a short presentation of the AUN-QA at Programme Level by CAFS Associate Dean for Instruction Adeliza A. Dorado. Lastly, Dr. Consuelo Amor S. Estrella, Chair of the BS ABT SAR AdHoc Committee, shared a brief introduction of the BS ABT program. 

To address the objectives of the meeting, parallel sessions were held for the Alumni and Employers in separate breakout rooms. Specific questions regarding the BSABT program were addressed by the two groups. The stakeholders were very enthusiastic in sharing their experiences and points for improvement.

As the two groups went back to the main session, synthesis of the two discussions were given by Dr. Agapita J. Salces and Prof. Bernard O. Budot for the employers and alumni session, respectively.

To formally close the event, Dr. Dennis Marvin O. Santiago, the Sub-Committee Chair of Criterion 8 Output and Outcomes, thanked the participants for their feedback and recommendations. He also said that the faculty of the program welcome ideas and consultations from the stakeholders. 

(Alyssa Kaye S. Mojar)