BACKGROUND

State universities in the Philippines should comply with the 2020 Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards for government workers and must be guided by the 2017 ASEAN University Network’s Healthy University Framework (HUF) for them to become healthy universities. Both policy documents identify OSH policy and programs as key components.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the challenges and opportunities in the implementation of health and safety policies and programs in a state university in the Philippines.

METHODS

A case study design was used with a state university as its study site. Investigators conducted 14 key informant interviews and nine focus group discussions which were participated by system officials, campus officials, academic teaching staff, academic non-teaching Staff, support staff, and students. Thematic analysis was used to identify and understand emerging patterns and themes.

RESULTS

The results generated seven themes consisting of Policy and Committee, Dedicated Personnel and Unit,Budget and Technology, Collaboration, Programs and Services, Working and Learning Environment, and Role Models. The identified challenges in the implementation of health and safety programs in the university were: (1) limited budget to implement initiatives, (2) lack of collaboration among its offices, and (3) absence of a dedicated unit and staff. There were also opportunities to improve implementation: (1) strong implementation of certain policies and programs, (2) presence of a good working and learning environment, and (3) existence of role models.

CONCLUSION

The identified challenges and opportunities correspond to the elements of the system and infrastructure considered as principal determinants of a healthy university. There is a need to recognize the interrelatedness of such elements to ensure effective implementation of health and safety programs in the university. It also underscores the relevance of the HUF in promoting OSH within a university context.

Human ; Health ; Safety ; Universities

Background and Objectives: There were issues and dearth of studies on postgraduate research supervision across all fields and discipline. This study sought to describe the effective practices of university research supervisors handling postgraduate students in education and health sciences. Methodology: A descriptive qualitative design was used to understand the effective research supervision practices based on the experiences of 10 university research supervisors in handling postgraduate students in the fields of education and health sciences. All supervisors voluntarily accomplished an online questionnaire consisting of 10 open-ended items. Their responses underwent thematic analysis. Results: Evidence of expertise among the research supervisors was established. Data from the responses of the research supervisors were grouped into themes and analyzed according to the conceptual models of effective research supervision of Lee [7] namely functional model, emancipation model, relationship development model, critical thinking model, and enculturation model. Most of the responses on effective practices fall under the functional model wherein supervisors need to have directing and project management skills. Practices under this model were further categorized into communication, feedback, monitoring, managing and research process-related matters. Distinct findings in this study categorized under the other models include having dialogue with supervisees, respecting supervisees as thinkers, and showing respect to supervisees. Ineffective practices were also recognized. They included not reading the supervisee's work, imposing solutions to supervisees, pressuring them and not taking advising duties professionally. Conclusion Most of the effective practices of research supervisors in handling postgraduate students are founded on their supervisory functions particularly in their directing and project management activities.

BACKGROUND: Since 1976, the School of Health Sciences (SHS) in the Philippines has produced a broad range of health professionals serving depressed and underserved communities. Most researches about the SHS present the impact of its unique community-based ladder-type curriculum and only a few focus on the lived experiences of its students.

OBJECTIVES: This study described how the lived experiences of SHS students with their community-based curriculum manifested as academic resilience.

METHODOLOGY: This is an exploratory social research. Data were obtained from key informant and focus group interviews, observations of purposively chosen students, teachers, and alumni in Baler Campus, and document review. Data were analyzed using iterative terms and concepts describing respondents' patterns of activities that establish norms in SHS. Joint displays of these norms were constructed to describe the students' academic resilience.

RESULTS: Admission in SHS requires students to undergo a stringent, often political recruitment process. While in the degree program, students go through constant financial constraints, demanding academic requirements, and challenging balance of hospital and community work with their personal and academic lives. The interplay between inner strength and external support promoted academic resilience. Studying in the SHS is a transformative learning experience. Students experienced multi-faceted problems requiring them to resiliently meet academic standards and maintain their own well-being. The culture of 'damayan' was an important source of psychosocial support.

CONCLUSION: The SHS curriculum and culture are most instrumental in promoting academic resilience among its students.

Schools ; Curriculum