International Journal of
Information and Education Technology

Abstract—This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of graduate students in a regional Graduate Education and Professional Studies (GEPS) program in the Philippines to identify institutional barriers and areas for improvement. Guided by Tinto’s Model of Institutional Departure, Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, and Knowles’ Theory of Andragogy, data were gathered from ten purposively selected students through written narratives and a focus group discussion. Thematic analysis identified five key challenges: limited course offerings, difficulty balancing work and study, technological constraints, administrative lapses, and irregular faculty support. Despite these difficulties, students valued mentorship and peer collaboration, which sustained their motivation. The study presents the INSPIRE Framework, composed of Institutional Support, Sociocultural Engagement, Practical Adaptation, Integration, Retention, and Excellence. This framework provides a practical model for improving institutional responsiveness and promoting learner success in regional and resource-constrained higher education settings.

Keywords—graduate education, student perspectives, qualitative inquiry, thematic analysis, regional universities, online learning, institutional support

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Cite: Emelyn R. Villanueva, "Learning through Lenses: Graduate Students’ Perspectives on Educational Experiences in a Regional Program," International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 772-778, 2026.

Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).