By Rene Estremera, PRO
A delegation from Mindanao State University (MSU) – Naawan Campus, located in Misamis Oriental Province, took a Quality Assurance benchmarking tour at UP Mindanao on January 21, 2026.
The 24-member MSU team was composed of faculty and staff comprising the Office of Institutional Planning and Development, the Office of Quality Assurance and Management Systems, and the Office of Monitoring and Evaluation.
They hoped to gain insights into UP Mindanao’s best practices, as documented in its ISO 9001:2015 certification. Of particular interest are strategic planning, quality assurance, monitoring and evaluation, and ISO-compliant management systems. In addition, they wished to learn more about the systematic integration of Gender and Development (GAD) and Peace and Development within the said frameworks.
Quality Assurance (QA) Office Director, Professor Ritchie Mae Gamot, responded with an in-depth discussion of the UP Mindanao QA experience gained from its ISO 9001:2015 accreditation journey. She likewise introduced UP’s online management platforms for finance, personnel, internal systems, and student records. Prof. Gamot also accommodated a freewheeling question-and-answer period with the visitors.
In the course of the morning visit, the MSU delegation also visited the Campus Planning and Development Office, the Gender and Development Office, and went on a campus tour.
Quality Assurance Office Director Prof. Ritchie Mae Gamot
Dir. Heidie Parcia of MSU-Naawan Quality Assurance 
Prof. Albert Alonzo of Monitoring and Evaluation
Directors Desheree Judena Preciado, Ritchie Mae Gamot, Heidie Amor Parcia, Albert Alonzo
At the Gender and Development Office