UP regents OK Diliman calendar shift, all campuses to start classes in August

MANILA, Philippines - The University of the Philippines (UP) Board of Regents on Friday approved, on a pilot basis, the change in the university system's academic calendar from June-May to August-July.

The decision covers the campuses of UP Manila, Los Baños, Baguio, Visayas, Mindanao, Open University, Cebu College and Diliman, and will be implemented this year.

The calendar shift in all satellite campuses were approved on Feb. 6, while UP Diliman's University Council approved the change last week.

“The decision to shift the academic calendar is part of the continuing efforts of UP to develop into a regional and global university and to maximize the opportunities offered by ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) integration and global educational partnerships,” UP President Alfredo Pascual said.

UP said prior to the shift, it had increased funding for research, scholarships for PhDs, completion of the national science and engineering complex, improvement of dormitories and other facilities and subjected academic programs for quality assurance review under the ASEAN University Network.