In a bid to strengthen the expertise of its University Media and Information Office (UMIO) and Information Communication Technology (ICT), Biliran Province State University (BiPSU) organized a benchmarking visit to Visayas State University (VSU) Baybay, Leyte, on September 12, following a workshop on crafting a coffee table book.

The benchmarking activity aimed to equip BiPSU with valuable insights and strategies from VSU’s successful practices, particularly through the University Integrated Media Center (UIMC), to enhance its own media presence and communication efforts.

The 13-member delegation, led by UMIO Director Mrs. Apple Joy Balondo-Visitacion, was welcomed by VSU’s Head of the Department of Development Communication, Dr. Ulderico “Derek” B. Alviola, and UIMC staff members Mr. Neil Bryan Fulache, Mr. Paul Vincent Fornis, Ms. Erica Gines, and Mr. Kenneth Mercado.

During the visit, BiPSU’s team explored the DYDC 104.7 FM development campus radio, the Information Communication Technology Management System (ICTMS), which made VSU the first in the region to implement full online enrollment, the Management Information System Office, its four-storey library building—the largest in the region—and the UIMC.

The team learned about VSU’s successful approaches to building and managing a campus radio station that can be heard across its university annexes, their high-end IT equipment, and the VSU University Learning Commons and its Filipiniana resources.

Moreover, during their brief session at the UIMC, they were oriented on crafting compelling content, leveraging social media platforms effectively, managing online reputation, creating a strong brand identity, and utilizing media relations to build positive relationships with stakeholders.

Director Apple Joy Balondo-Visitacion expressed the value of this opportunity, emphasizing its importance for BiPSU, especially after the launch of its official gazette, The Weavers.

“We are grateful for this benchmarking with VSU and its UIMC for giving us the opportunity to be inspired by their best practices that we can adopt and adapt in our university media operations,” she stated.

The VSU UIMC has likewise promised close assistance for the crafting of BiPSU’s first coffee table book.

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