The Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute now known as SAIDI - School of OD is an expansion of the Summer Educational Media Institute (SEMI) which began operating in Manila, Philippines in 1965.

SAIDI - School of OD, as a graduate institute, uses the professional experience of Asian learners who occupy key positions in education, government, community, church, industry and business as a basis and focus for acquiring graduate and postgraduate degrees. The Institute provides the curriculum design to working professionals who apply the concepts and principles of organization development in the organization to which they belong.

SAIDI - School of OD saw its beginnings in 1965 when it launched a specialized program in educational media and technology for educators all over the Philippines.

This program was affiliated with three Graduate Schools namely: Ateneo de Manila University, University of Santo Tomas and Philippine Christian University. SAIDI School of OD offered then the major field of educational media and technology to learners pursuing either master or doctoral studies in these institutions.

In 1972, recognizing the need to develop executives in Asia, Sr. Jacqueline E. Blondin, MIC, the Director-Founder, decided to shift the Institute thrust from upgrading teaching methods to that of Organization Development. In the proposed program, the systems theory, used as foundation principle of Instruction Development, was adapted and applied to organizations.

In September 1975, SAIDI School of OD opened its door to learners of Southeast Asia and offered two master`s programs following the Open Learning Philosophy and delivered by Distance Education using print and oral mode and technology. A year later, the Ministry of Education encouraged SAIDI School of OD Administration to offer a postgraduate degree program in the same discipline to coach, mentor and thus empower more leaders holding key positions in different fields.

By 1977, both graduate and postgraduate programs were recognized and accredited by the Philippine Ministry of Education and Culture.

The first eight years of SAIDI`s School of OD operation was located in the most historic part of Manila, on Arzobispo-Real-General Luna Streets in Intramuros. In June 1983, SAIDI School of OD moved to Antipolo where one finds the Staff House, Administration Building, Function and Conference Rooms, Dormitories and Cafeteria.

To date, after 30 years, SAIDI School of OD graduates came from the countries of Canada, China, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, U.S.A., and Zimbabwe.