The “University of the Future” of the Philippines: The Case of University of the Philippines Open University’s Master of Public Management Program

One of the issues in the education sector is how to future-ready degrees and develop students’ Future Skills essential in an agile environment. This will facilitate students not only to become lifelong learners but also enable them to adapt to various career tracks in the fast-paced world. The University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU) is envisioned to help equip Filipinos with the knowledge and skills they need for life and work in the twenty-first century. As the “University of the Future,” UPOU, through the Open Distance LearningLearningDistance Learning Law, is mandated to assist agencies, higher education institutions (HEIs), and technical and vocational institutions in developing distance education programs through training, research, and other academic programs. This paper discusses the following questions: (a) What is the concept of the University of the Future for UPOU?; (b) How is Open and Distance E-learningLearninge-Learning (ODeL) articulated towards future-ready degrees?; (c) What are the initiatives from the Master of Public Management (MPM) Program to develop the Future Skills of public servantsPublic Servants?; (d) Are the learning activities aptly designed to develop Future Skills of public servants?; and (e) How can online assignments be redesigned to incorporate development of Future Skills?