LAOAG CITY, June 28 (PIA) – The state-run university in Ilocos Norte, Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU), signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) for the development of Seamless Campus Network (SCN) this year.

The ceremonial signing of MOA was held on June 24 which was participated by around 18 state universities and colleges (SUCs) across the country whose smart campus projects were also CHED-approved.

With its aim for efficient flexible learning online while under pandemic, MMSU is granted P24.9 million from CHED to develop as a Smart University that will connect its five campuses in Batac City, Laoag City, Currimao, Paoay, and Dingras through the installation and maintenance of a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

It was CHED Chairperson Prospero De Vera III who pushed the smart campus initiative to address some difficulties of SUCs in the implementation of flexible learning in the new normal.

The "smart campus" is defined by CHED as spaces where higher education institutions use next-generation digital technologies woven seamlessly with a well-architected infrastructure to develop tools to enhance teaching and learning, research and extension, as well as to improve operational deficiency.

MMSU President Shirley Agrupis thanked CHED for enabling MMSU to build its smart campus network.

“This will complement our aggressive efforts to champion flexible learning, leading to a community that is highly connected and digitally interactive in a secure and glitch-free environment,” said Agrupis.

Moreover, she shared that the university will be using 70 percent of the fund to procure information technology infrastructure which serves as the backbone of becoming a smart university.

The university’s Chief of Software Development and Network Administration, Arman Barruga, revealed that the university plans to buy a geo-based IP firewall, upgrade to a 7Gbps Stateful Firewall throughout (accommodating 10,000 users), and 10G SFP+ WAN interfaces for high-speed connectivity, among others.

With distance learning as a primary tool for continuing education, the university takes pride of its online platform called “MMSU Virtual Learning Environment” (mVLE) which allows students and teachers have access to learning materials and enables class interactions.

This has long been created by the institution even before pandemic.

“With the funding coming from CHED for the SCN, we are confident that we can improve some more to upgrade and expand the services that are already inherent in our mVLE,” said Agrupis.

Other SUCs that received funding from CHED are the Agusan Del Sur State College of Agriculture and Technology; Batangas State University; Bicol University; Bukidnon State University; Bulacan Agricultural State College; Carlos Hilado Memorial State College; Central Bicol State University of Agriculture; Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology; Marinduque State College; Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College; Palawan State University; Pampanga State Agricultural University; Philippine Normal University; Samar State University; Southern Leyte State University; Sulu State College; University of Antique; and the University of Northern Philippines. (JCR/AMB/MJTAB PIA Ilocos Norte)