THE UST Manila and Legazpi campuses have agreed to strengthen their academic partnership through enriched and mutually beneficial programs to develop the “brand” of the oldest Catholic university in Asia, University Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. said.
In an interview with The Flame, Ang said the institutions are eyeing to build academic opportunities through collaboration, such as joint teaching and conferences, to enable exchanges among students and faculty members.
“We start with what is basic. We mean mutual benefits, helping each other, trying to enrich the program of schools also associated with UST Manila. We will have to help the UST brand, we will have to promote and develop the UST brand,” Ang said.
In January, the two institutions, represented by Ang and UST Legazpi Rector Fr. Edwin Lao, O.P., signed a memorandum of agreement to forge an academic partnership. Witnesses of the partnership included Vice Rector Fr. Isaias Tiongco, O.P. and Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Cheryl Peralta.
While the Bicol-based university is considered an institution independent from UST, Ang said his agenda to “advance synergy” among disciplines, units and institutions remains intact.
“[T]here is a UP (University of the Philippines) brand. There is a [De] La Salle [University] brand, [an] Ateneo [De Manila University] brand, and as well as, of course, a UST brand. And we will have to take care of the name ‘UST,’ not only in Manila, but also in GenSan (General Santos), Santa Rosa, even in Legazpi,” the rector said.
Despite being part of the UST System, the Legazpi campus has its own board of trustees and enjoys administrative and fiscal independence from the Manila branch. The España campus only supervises some of UST Legazpi’s master’s degree programs, such as Pharmacy and Law, to align its academic standards with those of Manila.
“UST Legazpi is not under, technically it’s not under UST Manila, but we are having this collaboration. And it’s part of my agenda, not only in my second term, but as early as my first term,” Ang said.
The rector said the University is also eyeing to offer campus visits to UST Legazpi students, particularly in its newly inaugurated research complex in Santa Rosa.
“[E]ventually, in the future, students from UST Legazpi can come to España or to our Santa Rosa campus because we have the innovation center, so they can have their exposure there,” he said.
UST Santa Rosa unveiled the Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center on April 28, 2023. In his speech during the inauguration, Ang said the edifice would be a place for researchers, innovators and entrepreneurs “to exchange ideas, share knowledge and work together towards a common goal–creating a better future.”
Asked if he has plans to revive elementary school programs in UST Manila, Ang said his leadership is more centered on enhancing tertiary education.
“We already have our junior high school, education high school, as well as our senior high school. Since UST is a university, I would like to focus on developing programs [at] the tertiary level, besides the one in high school,” he said.
The last batch of grade 6 students in UST graduated in 2011. The University stopped accepting new applications from grade school pupils in the succeeding years.
UST Legazpi’s affiliation with the Manila branch was formalized through a certificate of filing of amended articles of incorporation in 2017, when it was rebranded from “Aquinas University of Legazpi” to its present name. F
