UP ITDC Hosts Educational Tour and Technology Talk for IT Students from Eastern Visayas State University

On May 19, 2025, the University of the Philippines Information Technology Development Center (UP ITDC) welcomed IT students from Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) for an educational tour and technology talk. The event, held at the Malcolm Hall Theater of UP College of Law in UP Diliman, provided an insightful exploration of digital transformation and career opportunities in IT.

The UP College Law through its Dean, Atty. Darlene Marie B. Berberabe, extended its public service support by allowing ITDC to use its auditorium for free and accommodate the visiting officials, faculty and students of EVSU.

A total of 141 third-year Information Technology students and six faculty members participated in the event. UP ITDC Director Paulo Noel G. Paje delivered the opening remarks and presented a talk on "University of the Philippines and its Digital Transformation Journey."

Paje elaborated on UP’s mission as the national university, emphasizing its commitment to education, research, and public service. He discussed the interconnectivity of UP’s 10 constituent universities (CUs) including the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), supported by two major network backbones—Preginet and Converge ICT—which collectively provide a bandwidth capacity of around 7,777 Mbps.

He further explained the university’s Information and Management Systems, categorized into three key areas: the Management Information System, Student and Academic System, and the Teaching and Learning System. Paje outlined the challenges UP faces in its digital transformation journey, including fragmented system implementations, dysfunctional ICT architecture, fear of technology and change, and the complexities of stakeholder management. To overcome these hurdles, he highlighted critical success factors, such as executive leadership, strategic alignment, stakeholder engagement, and robust IT governance. He also shared his vision for the future of UP’s smart campus.

Adding to the discussion, Ada Angeli Cariaga from UP ITDC’s Software Engineering Team presented "Careers in IT in Higher Education Institutions and in the Industry." Cariaga underscored the advantages of an IT career, citing competitive salaries, job security, diverse opportunities, and the industry’s dynamic evolution. She also provided insights into key areas such as IT infrastructure, software development, cybersecurity, cloud-based solutions, online learning, and artificial intelligence (AI) integration.

The educational tour and technology talk exemplified UP ITDC’s commitment to fostering knowledge-sharing and professional growth among aspiring IT professionals, equipping them with valuable perspectives on both technological advancements and career pathways.