- UP Manila launches a major medical upskilling initiative under CHED’s HUSAY Program, enabling at least 2,300 faculty, staff, and researchers from accredited higher education institutions to receive advanced training.
- The PHP 80.43-million BEACON Program provides AI-enabled capacity building, covering learning materials, accommodation, resource persons, and full training support, with applications open from March to December 2026.
- Courses focus on AI, biomedical education, research integrity, and digital health ethics, aiming to strengthen institutional competencies and equip educators with cutting-edge skills for modern medical teaching and research.
A new medical upskilling program will allow more teachers and other education personnel to benefit from the Higher Education Upskilling and Study for Advancement of Staff and Faculty or HUSAY Program.
The UP Manila said the program would enable at least 2,300 faculty members, non-teaching staff and researchers from higher education institutions accredited by the CHED. They will also receive short-term training through UP Manila’s BEACON Program, or Bio-Health Education, Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Capacity Building, Optimization and Innovation.
The BEACON Program worth PHP80.43 million will cover the scholars' learning materials, program kits, resource persons, accommodation, meals, incidental costs, and transportation expenses during the program, as stated in the approved financial plan. Applications will be open from March to December 2026.
Funded under CHED Memorandum Orders 15 (s. 2023) and 8 (s. 2025), the HUSAY Program shall catalyze institutional capacity and increase the opportunities for upskilling and reskilling in higher education.
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According to UP Manila Chancellor Michael Tee, the BEACON project is designed to enhance competencies in institutional integrity, ethics, and AI in teaching and research by offering reskilling and upskilling courses to educators.
He said the courses fall under three clusters: Biomedical Education and Pedagogy, Biomedical Research, Technology, and Ethics, and Environmental and Occupational Practice through AI-enabled virtual learning platforms.
The leading courses include the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-aligned Artificial Intelligence Competency Development Course for medical educators, the Simulation Course for the advancement of medical education, and Research Integrity in Bio-Health Sciences and Digital Health Ethics.
BEACON project proponent Dr. Lenora Fernandez said UP Manila will continue to provide appropriate, easy access, and cutting edge biomedical courses relevant for the upskilling and reskilling of Filipino faculty and staff.
