Research Agenda Framework
The 2011-2020 Research Agenda is structured around four clusters broken down into six key priority areas. The six key priority areas are:
- Socio-Ecclesiastical/Church- related studies;
- Research dealing with improvement of classroom instruction and management
- Studies impacting society, culture and environment;
- Research and Development (R&D);
- Studies towards improvement of departmental and institutional operations;
and - Research contributing to advancement of knowledge, specialization or profession.
Research of Mission
The University shall espouse the promotion of Socio-Ecclesiastical Research to acquaint the faithful with some of the issues and concerns faced by the Church, in general. The University of the Assumption, as an archdiocesan school is called to be a witness in the Church mission (as stipulated in the General Objectives of UA) As such, the Research and Planning Office (RPO) shall recognize that within the realm of academic inquiry, lays the intersection of both religious and socio-cultural aspects. In this respect, RPO shall propagate research designed to aid the Church in addressing some of the social, cultural and ecclesiastical issues that are critical in the fulfillment of her mission.
The Catholic Church plays a significant role not only in the private lives of the believers, her influence encompasses a larger sphere, particularly, matters of national and global consequence. Thus, studies intended for the purpose of providing the church pertinent facts and figures to enable the church leaders in arriving at critical resolutions shall be advocated by UA-RPO.
Moreover, Vatican II underscored the indispensable and utilitarian component of research in pastoral work. This was intricately laid down in the Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World, where it emphasized that “In pastoral care, sufficient use must be made not only of theological principles, but also of the findings of the secular sciences, especially of psychology and sociology, so that the faithful may be brought to a more adequate and mature life of faith.” Research areas are: databases for Church’s consumption, church organizational plans, ecclesiastical issues, support for theological and religious studies and promotion of Catholic teachings.
Research of Obligation
Aligned with the UA-VMG of promoting the holistic development of the individual through excellence in instruction, research and extension, the Research and Planning Office encourages and supports faculty research across disciplines which will improve classroom instruction and management. It is a solemn obligation of all teachers to improve instruction and to ensure that learning takes place in school. Likewise, studies relative to quality assurance and accreditation with emphasis on improving both student learning and student achievement are priorities of the institution. Research priority areas are: teaching strategies, quality of delivery of instruction, curriculum development, faculty efficiency and effectiveness, test development and validation and action research utilization.
Studies impacting environment culture and society have great importance not just in policy and public circles but also in the academe at large. The University considers these as crucial areas in responding to its vision-mission. The urgency of dialogue, and the pace and degree of change with respect to the environmental crisis, deforestation, biodiversity loss, the looming energy crisis, climate change, poverty, insurgency and social injustice elicit challenges and opportunities facing society today and in the future are very evident. Educators reflect the richness and insights of research scholars exploring diverse cultural forms, social phenomena, and political-economic developments in which studies on environment, culture and society are intricately intertwined, if not indistinguishable. Specific priority areas are: environment stewardship, cultural and social anthropology, poverty alleviation, good governance and corporate social responsibility, social transformation and local tourism department.
Research of Opportunity
Research & Development (R & D) studies are investigative and developmental design projects that the university chooses to conduct with the intention of making a discovery that can either lead to the development of new products, technologies or procedures, or to improvement of the same.
R & D is one of the means by which society can experience future growth by developing new products or processes to improve and expand the operations. Undertakings like these are in close collaboration with Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Energy (DoE), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR),Congressional Commission on Science and Technology and Engineering (CCSTE) and research-based agencies. The University encourages research collaboration through collaboration agreements and consortia (with other schools universities). Being a member of Central Luzon Health Research and Development Consortium (CLHRDC), UA explores potential and feasible R & D projects in the field.
Technical Academic programs offered by the University such as Computer Science, Information Technology, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Electronic Engineering and Nursing are seminal houses where research and development (R &D) studies particularly on inventions, development of prototypes and patenting may sprout. The University through the Research and Planning Office in coordination with the Center of Information Technology and Laboratories (CITL), Science Department, College of Engineering, College of Nursing and College of Computing Sciences and Information Technology continuously identified areas of concern in the university needing technology. The development of digitized or automated programs, prototypes, health devices and innovative systems and mechanisms are some of the potential research undertakings. The Technology Transfer Committee (TTC) composed of representatives from the aforementioned colleges and offices monitors and evaluates R & D projects to ensure quality outputs. Research areas in R & D include: instructional material development, systems/methods/procedures development, inventions (development of prototypes and models) and product development.
Improvement of department and institutional operations is a crucial thrust of Quality Assurance (QA) in every academic institution. The University considers research as a vital mechanism that would ensure the continuous quality improvement of systems and procedures in the university. Research undertakings consistent to the Vision, Mission and Goals of the University of the Assumption and the National Higher Education Research Agenda-2 (NHERA) relative to the improvement of department/institutional operations are prioritized. Research areas include: evaluation of program and curriculum, graduate supply and demand studies, evaluation of marketing studies, extent of realization of departmental and university plans and activities, assessment on the satisfaction level of students and stakeholders on key services, appraisal and evaluation of current processes and systems and cohort studies.
Research of Interest
Every researcher has his own research interest. Basically, it stems from the area of specialization or profession and on the curricular offerings of the university. Professors who are fully engaged in instruction of a course or subject have a natural inner drive in advancing the frontier of knowledge in their area of discipline.
As accreditation and certification of academic programs become an indispensable criterion of the culture and seal of excellence of a school, the academic community naturally yearns and seeks for advancement of knowledge not just in the area of discipline but also in the area of interest. Faculty members are encouraged to develop their own niche, to become experts in the respective field through research. Thus, studies in the area of specialization are a crucial matter to many serious professors/teachers who are engaged in teaching their course of expertise.
Aware of this fact, the University of the Assumption has encouraged professors and teachers to conduct faculty research undertakings in the area of specialization. Alignment with the degree program in their academic advancement and research undertaking has been an invaluable professional pursuit. Paper presentations in local and international forums would necessitate the alignment of research topic with the area of discipline or at least with what the professional organization’s thrust and the research interest which the researcher wants to explore.
As developer and creator of knowledge, it is inherent for an educator to explore the arena of interest through the rigor of selecting relevant research topics without compromising the standards of quality research set by the University.
The University encourages multidisciplinary and collaborative research undertakings among faculty especially on relevant topics that necessitate teamwork and multiple disciplines. The Research and Planning Office encourages the adoption of these approaches namely: multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary in the conduct of research, particularly collaborative research projects. Most faculty research outputs are self-funded and the faculty is the one that shoulders the cost of the undertaking. The approved Incentive Program for Faculty Research (IPFR) is one of the concrete strategies which may propel teachers to engage in research. Faculty research proposals with proposed budget for the undertaking must be submitted subject to the approval of the University Research
Council. Every facultymay avail financial support for local and international paper presentation subject to the recommendation of the RPO based on merit review and approval of the University Research Council.
Research areas contributing to the advancement of knowledge, specialization or profession include: Theology; Education & Educational Policy; Psychology & Counseling; Health & Sciences; Business & Management; Tourism; Engineering & Architecture; Computer Technology; Philosophy; Economics; Humanities, Languages, and other related curricular course offerings.