Role of Academe in Convergence

and Local Economic Development

Presentation to the National Level Deepening
Workshop for External Convergence
November 7, 2012
Subic Bay Travellers’ Hotel, Olongapo City
 Outline
• Traditional role of academe in development
• Expanding roles of academe in local development
and convergence
– Resource in terms of policy and program research
– Resource in terms of providing support services
– “Service learning”
• Considerations in linking with the academe

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 Role of Academe
• Traditional roles of academe:
– “Human resource” producers for employment in industry/
business, government, non-government organizations and
others
– Producers of knowledge that would enable graduates to
better understand and possibly provide solutions to “real
world” problems, especially at the local level (Goldstein
and Drucker, 2006)
– Development of curricula within and outside the university
setting in order to develop new skills, knowledge and
orientation of individuals

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 Role of Academe
• However, universities are faced with an increasing demand to
better serve national and local objectives (Commission on
Higher Education, 2011)
– ‘Zonal’ (regional) research centers have been appointed to generate
technologies that can enhance the productivity of members of poorest
communities
– ‘Relevant and responsive’ research and development for improving
productivity, promoting peace, empowering women, reducing disaster
and alleviating poverty, including in NAPC identified areas
– Increasing participation in the ‘National Greening Movement’ and in
disaster response and other related activities
• Thus, the academic community has to respond to the needs
of government and the community
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 Role of Academe
• What are possible ways in which the academe may coordinate
with governmental efforts?
• Academe as a resource institution for new thinking in order to
respond to the research issues that government is facing
• Case: Poverty and Welfare Research Network (PWRN) of the
National Anti-Poverty Commission in 2001- 2003
– Created in 2001 to respond to some of the questions raised on poverty
reduction strategies and necessary policies that would be undertaken
by a new administration
– Multi-sectoral group composed of academic researchers and NGOs
that have been undertaking research on poverty-related issues for a
significant period

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 Role of Academe
• PWRN network: Some of the initial questions faced by the NAPC
secretariat on strengthening and deepening poverty reduction
are the following;
– Given the poverty definition in Republic Act 8425 (Social Reform and
Poverty Alleviation Act), what are the dimensions of poverty that need
to be prioritized in terms of response?
– How can the government’s anti-poverty strategy be strengthened in
terms of its gender and development?
– How do we move forward with developing the ‘People’s Development
Trust Fund’ (PDTF), a capacity building fund for microfinance and micro-
entrepreneurship?
– How do we strengthen the participation strategy of government in
undertaking anti-poverty programs?
– What could be the institutional arrangements for poverty reduction at
the local level? 6
 Role of Academe
• PWRN network: Resources for the network were sourced from
grants from official donors, a modest contribution from the
NAPC (from its MOOE) and counterpart from the academic/
NGO institutions; these funded the following:
– Studies on developing answers to the research questions; these were
in the form of technical studies, and authors were not limited to single
institutions
– Conferences to discuss the results of the studies among the network
members, and with the members of the NAPC secretariat and other
government agencies
– Seminars on different research topics and other papers being
undertaken on poverty
– Meetings for updating the network members on the poverty reduction
accomplishments and further plans of NAPC
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 Role of Academe
• PWRN network: Results/ accomplishments of the studies
undertaken by the network:
– Development of gender and development framework for the NAPC
secretariat
– Options for the NAPC full commission on how to move forward the
PDTF
– Possible ways to improve participation in the KALAHI-CIDSS program
which were suggested in the K-C board
– Possible means for coordination between NAPC and other ‘sectoral
bodies’ (i.e., National Youth Commission, Philippine Commission on
Women)

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 Role of Academe
• PWRN: Lessons learned in coordinating with academe:
– Not all members of the academe would be interested in the issues
that government agencies face; but it would help if there is a cross-
disciplinary interest in the policy and program dilemmas government
face
– Involve the academe in setting plans and programs, and then
identifying further issues
– Academe members can also contribute not only resources but also
time and knowledge in answering research questions
– A ‘coordinator’ (either institution or individual) could help in
developing linkages

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 Role of Academe
• Second, the academic community can also provide specific
services to the government and development groups
• The basic infrastructure is already in place through the
National Service Training Program (NSTP) and through student
organizations
• NSTP already provides the following:
– Relief and rehabilitation programs following natural disasters
– Tutorials for school children and young adults
– Volunteer services for social welfare institutions and communities
– Training services for community organizations (i.e., Gawad Kalinga)
– Etc.

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 Role of Academe
• However, these voluntary activities can also be transformed to
support governmental actions:
– Training programs undertaken by business organizations for recipients
of the Sustainable Livelihood Program?
– Monitoring of the DSWD program outputs and outcomes?
– Audits of Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries?
– Coordination in terms of disaster responses undertaken by the
Protective Services Bureau?

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 Role of Academe
• Third, the integration of research and service provision can be
undertaken through “service learning”
– “A credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate
in an organized service activity that meets identified needs of a social
development entity or cultural institution and reflect on the service
activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course
content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced
sense of civic responsibility” (Bringle and Hatcher, 1996)
– Service learning represents a paradigmatic shift away from models
that emphasized either professional/academic training or social
formation
– Students in a service learning course help identify a problem or solve
an issue using the tools discussed in a specific course and receive a
grade for this
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 Role of Academe
• Service learning: increasingly recognized in the Philippines as
a pedagogical methodology for undergraduates
– First national service learning conference was undertaken last
September participated by more than 30 higher educational
institutions in the country
– Leading institutions include Silliman University (Dumaguete) and
Xavier University (Cagayan de Oro)
• Some of the models for service learning include the following:
– Xavier University, together with Catholic Relief Services: Assisting
development processes and community partners in four Bukidnon
municipalities through different disciplines (business, ICT, economics,
agriculture)
– University of St. La Salle: Strengthening communication programs of
selected POs and NGOs
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 Role of Academe
• Service learning: at the Ateneo de Manila, various courses
have integrated some form of service:
– Theory and Practice of Social Development, Economics Department:
development of feasibility studies for local community organizations
– Managerial Accounting, School of Management: proposals to improve
financial ratios of social enterprises
– Introduction to Information Systems, Department of Computer
Science: developing databases for environmental groups
– Health Sciences Program: program for improving local health
institutions in Caloocan and Quezon City in Metro Manila

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 Role of Academe
• Service learning: Lessons learned in coordinating with
academe:
– Identify activities which can be undertaken easily by students within a
period of one semester (four to five months)
– Importance of person that would link with academic community; there
may be also a counterpart in the university that also links with the
community
– Community or government institution, which facilitated service
learning activity, is also important in terms of monitoring and
evaluating work of students

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 Role of Academe
• Some considerations in working with the academe:
– Universities work within a given time frame (one semester) which may
be different with the government’s own timetable
– Importance of identifying activities which can be done by in a short
(vs. longer) period, and which can be done by other types of service
providers; the activity should take into consideration the incentives
faced by the academic community
– Investing in a person (i.e., recent graduate)/ institution that could link
with academic sector is also important
– Work with regional networks, i.e., zonal research centers, may also be
more strategic rather than working with one institution/ center; may
encompass a more multidisciplinary approach

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