NAVAL, Biliran- The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved Biliran Province State University’s Smart Campus proposal amounting to Php 22,934,835.00.

BiPSU is among the 89 out of 112 State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in the country who submitted proposals, approved by the commission, eligible for financial assistance for the establishment of smart campus as presented by Dr. J. Prospero E. De Vera III, CHED Chairperson, during the Virtual Press Conference on Smart Campus Projects and Updates on Limited Face-to-Face Classes held last June 24.

BiPSU’s smart campus project entitled “Upgrading of BiPSU’s Internet Connectivity and Campus Area Network for the Delivery of Quality and Efficient Educational Services” is a hybrid project which includes Campus Area Network and Learning Management System (LMS) improvement aimed at securing the Internet connectivity, ease of access to student records to improve the functionality, efficiency, quality, and impact of the services provided by the #WOWBiPSU Moodle-based LMS.

“This smart campus project and initiative of the university addresses the institution’s concern on internet connectivity which is very important in the implementation of flexible learning. Unique among other smart campus projects, BiPSU’s project will not only cover provision of stronger internet connection within its campuses but will also provide internet connectivity to the established municipal learning kiosks in the province and neighboring towns in Leyte,” Dr. Reymon Santianez, Management Information System (MIS) personnel and project leader said.

According to Dr. Santianez, this approved project will provide equipment and facilities for the improvement of the internet connectivity not only in the institution but in the municipalities where academic kiosks are located for its students and faculty. Moreover, this also includes the improvement of the current Learning Management System of the university.

“We are grateful and humbled to be among the universities in the country to be granted with this financial assistance from CHED. Our sincerest thanks to the commission, especially to Dr. J. Prospero E De Vera III and Commissioner Aldrin A. Darilag for this approval. This grant is very instrumental in the improvement of our implementation of flexible learning deliveries,” Dr. Victor C. Canezo, Jr., University President said.

Dr. Canezo, also expressed his appreciation to the employees who worked closely with the administration in the preparations of the said project for BiPSU. He further emphasized that this initiative is geared towards the institution’s transition to becoming, not only a smart campus, but also a smart university.

On the other hand, the smart campus initiative of CHED is in line with the RA 11494, otherwise known as the “Bayanihan to Recover as One Act”, specifically under Section 10 (i) which appropriated “three billion pesos (P 3,000,000,000.00) to assist SUCs in the development of smart campuses through investments in ICT infrastructure, acquisition of learning management systems and other appropriate equipment to fully implement flexible learning modalities.”