MANILA — Filipinos in the United Arab Emirates are expected to benefit from its recognition of degrees from the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU), it said. 

The UPOU said its degrees “are now officially recognized for equivalency” by UAE’s Ministry of Education, which overseas Filipino workers could leverage for “career advancement and employment opportunities.”  

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“This development will have a profound impact on the professional and economic mobility of our OFWs, enabling them to transition from high-risk, low-paying jobs to safer, more stable, and higher-income positions,” UP President Angelo Jimenez said.

Prior to the accreditation, Filipinos with UPOU degrees reportedly faced challenges in career advancement since their graduate programs were not recognized by the UAE, the state university noted. 

UAE hosts some 650,000 OFWs, according to 2020 data from the Department of Foreign Affairs. 

UPOU Chancellor Joane Serrano vowed to expand the university’s Ventures for International and Transformative Academia program “that Filipinos around the world can avail of high-quality UP education.”