UP KRC and UP CIDS Formalize Spatial Agreement Under the OVPRI
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES — Demonstrating a shared commitment to interdisciplinary research, academic collaboration, and institutional growth, the University of the Philippines Korea Research Center (UP KRC) and the UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (UP CIDS) officially formalized their facility-sharing partnership through a Spatial Provision Agreement signing ceremony held on July 23, 2026.
The agreement establishes clear terms for shared physical facilities at the Ang Bahay ng Alumni UPCIDS office, while honoring both units’ interconnected heritage and their updated administrative standing within the university system.
The relationship between UP KRC and UP CIDS is deeply historical. Established by the UP Board of Regents (BOR) at its 1313th Meeting on December 11, 2015, the UP KRC originally operated as a research unit administratively attached to UP CIDS. Supported initially by seed funding from the Academy of Korean Studies (AKS), UP KRC was envisioned as a university-wide hub for Korean studies, curriculum development, and cross-disciplinary research—building its foundational roots under the guidance of UP CIDS who was still under the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA) that time.
In 2017, UP KRC became an independent unit directly under the OVPAA, formally separating from UP CIDS administratively while continuing to share office spaces.
Over the decade, both entities expanded their research footprints, contributing significantly to public policy, strategic studies, and regional academic partnerships.
The dynamic evolved further with the creation of the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI), approved during the 1399th BOR Meeting on April 24, 2025. Under this structure, both UP CIDS and UP KRC were reorganized as distinct, independent component units under the administrative umbrella of the OVPRI.
The newly signed agreement codifies this mutual respect and spatial partnership, ensuring that both independent units continue to operate side by side effectively.
The Spatial Provision Agreement delineates specific office spaces, shared areas, and resource allocations within Ang Bahay ng Alumni UPCIDS office such as: dedicated workstations for UP KRC staff, The “Korea Corner” in the UP CIDS Library and Resources, and common and shared areas access.
The signing ceremony was led by Dr. Kyung Min Bae (Director, UP KRC) and Dr. Rosalie Arcala Hall (Executive Director, UP CIDS), with Dr. Joel Joseph S. Marciano, Jr. (Vice President for Research and Innovation) serving as the official witness in the document. They are joined by both institutions’ staff during the signing ceremony.
By solidifying their physical and operational arrangement, UP KRC and UP CIDS reaffirm their commitment to maintaining a functional, collaborative environment that supports the research mission of the University of the Philippines under the OVPRI framework.
