WIS H.E.R.A

In line with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) pursuit and mandate to promote the quality of education in the Philippines, all faculty members/instructors of Westmead International School are required to undertake academic research to support and improve the overall delivery of instruction in their own respective disciplines.

Research Thrusts

The WIS Higher Education Research Center shall promote the following agenda:
1. Develop and inculcate a ‘culture of research’ and ‘research leadership’ among faculty members;
2. Establish a system of research based on the instructor’s academic area or discipline and integrate new research into their classroom instruction;
3. Create a plan to ensure long-term research activities for each and every department; and
4. Institutionalize a plan for tenure by evaluating instructors’ teaching and research agenda as they move toward permanent status and/or salary adjustment.

The WIS Higher Education Research Center shall execute the following functions:

1. Commission periodic academic research by group (2 or 3 members max) or individual research;
2. Find potential funding sources for research, and/or supplemental grants;
3. Evaluate the usefulness and applicability of the potential research design with respect to classroom instructional requirements;
4. Monitor ongoing research;
5. Examines and assess research output; and
6. Recommends instructors/faculty for promotion, based on the applicability of research output.

Date of Commencement

The WIS Higher Education Research Agenda among Faculty/Instructors shall take effect beginning April 2012, and shall continue thereon.

Funding Source

Potential funding sources for academic research such as policy research for long-term implementation (e.g. environmental management and health-related research) to be undertaken by any of WIS faculty members may be recommended by WIS H.E.R.A. Center. Grants or funding opportunities may provide either full or supplemental funding for the entire mechanics and administration of research until possibly, publication. For action or short-term research (3-months to semester-long research) funding may also be sourced, whenever necessary. All kinds of research funding opportunities, including company information, must be submitted to WIS H.E.R.A to be added to the Center’s database.

Research Eligibility

Each department shall have a research output every semester. Each and every faculty member shall develop and undertake research. Eligibility to produce a research output will be based on the teaching load given per semester.
Faculty members with a minimum teaching load (21 units) and a minimum of three (3) teaching preparations shall come up with a research proposal to be submitted at least 3 weeks after the commencement of the semester.
There are no exceptions. Implementing guidelines and any changes to these are subject to WIS H.E.R.A. Center’s decision and approval.

Implementing Guidelines:

1. Each faculty member/instructor (from each Department) shall submit at least one (1) research proposal/design to the WIS H.E.R Center at the beginning of every semester/summer, for evaluation. For research by ‘ group’, please advise the Center.
2. Two (2) weeks after submission, the faculty member will be advised of the outcome of evaluation by the Center. When the research proposal is approved, the actual research should be undertaken immediately.
3. All academic research including ‘action research, academic papers, and/or academic projects must be submitted in the following technical format:
3.1 12.0 size font, either Times New Roman or Arial
3.2 Double-spaced
3.3 Not exceeding 50 pages, but minimum 30 pages for action research and academic papers, including preliminaries, and Reference pages.
3.4 Strictly following standard technical format for margins, pagination, and referencing.

Suggested Variables for action research:

1. Tracer studies for WIS graduates
2. Socio-economic and demographic Profile of Faculty/Personnel
3. Levels of Interest and Understanding Subject matter
4. Mastery level of faculty by curriculum taught
5. Local and international aspirations of graduates