FR. RICHARD Ang, O.P. is set to be installed to a second term as UST Rector tomorrow, Sept. 9, during which he is anticipated to lay down plans to boost his seven-point agenda from his first term, a top University official said.
In his inaugural speech as UST’s 97th Rector Magnificus in 2021, Ang outlined his vision of transforming UST into a “leading Catholic institution of learning in the Asean region with the fastest-growing reputation in education, research, and service.”
To achieve his “Vision 2024 and Beyond” roadmap, Ang had laid out a seven-point agenda:
- Harness technology in preparation for Industry 4.0
- Advance synergy among disciplines, units, and institutions
- Enrich the research ecosystem of the University
- Optimize advances made in internationalization
- Foster a stronger industry-academe-alumni partnership
- Advocate wellness of being
- Manage resources for strategic expansion
As he embarks on a second four-year term, Ang is expected to intensify these strategic initiatives, said Secretary General Fr. Louie Coronel, O.P.
“His seven-point agenda, he will intensify that,” Coronel told the Varsitarian in a mix of English and Filipino. “I anticipate to hear in his speech how he will level up those (agenda)…that’s why I’m all ears.”
The Varsitarian revisited key developments in the past four years to assess the University’s progress in these areas.
Expansion to Santa Rosa, GenSan
UST made significant strides in its expansion efforts under Ang, constructing structures across three campuses: UST Santa Rosa in Laguna, UST General Santos (GenSan) in Mindanao, and UST Manila.
In April 2023, UST opened the first completed structure outside UST Manila, the UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center at UST Santa Rosa. This three-story, mixed-use building is expected to boost UST’s research and innovation efforts, housing innovation centers, food product development hubs, laboratories, leasable offices for startups, and co-working spaces.
READ: Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center inaugurated on UST’s 412th anniversary
The following year, UST inaugurated its largest campus to date, the 82-hectare UST GenSan in Mindanao envisioned to focus on agricultural technology. It is twice the size of the 40-hectare UST Santa Rosa and four times the size of the 21-hectare main campus in Sampaloc, Manila.
READ: Largest UST campus opens in GenSan
The first UST branch campus in Mindanao admitted 126 students in its maiden year, offering five undergraduate degree programs housed under three inaugural schools.
Both UST Santa Rosa and UST GenSan commenced construction under former rector Fr. Herminio Dagohoy, O.P., Ang’s predecessor.
Further expansion is ongoing, with the UST-Dr. William T. Belo Interdisciplinary Research Institute in Laguna expected to reach completion in one to two years, and the Dr. Ricardo S. Po Sr. Integrated Innovation and Research Laboratories in Mindanao undergoing the design phase.
UST is anticipated to open this September the Henry Sy Sr. Hall at UST Manila, a simulation hub and research center poised to revolutionize medical education upon completion. The edifice will be equipped with simulated emergency rooms, surgical suites, delivery rooms, adult and pediatric intensive care units, and medical and pediatric wards.
Research and internationalization
Ang sought to position UST as “one of the rising research universities in the Asia-Pacific region.” Despite early challenges, UST saw significant improvements in research productivity over the past four years.
In 2022, UST had its most research-productive year, publishing 354 scholarly materials in Elsevier’s Scopus index, along with articles in press. UST Hospital, recognized separately in Scopus, contributed 45 publications that year.
However, UST fell short of earning a rank in the 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings as it did not meet the threshold of 1,000 Scopus-indexed papers published in the last five years.
UST bounced back in the 2024 edition, placing third among Philippine schools in the THE rankings. It also ranked highest among local institutions in the international outlook indicator, attributed to the strong presence of international students and academic staff, as well as global collaborations.
In a study by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), UST was named one of the top five Philippine comprehensive universities due to significant research productivity.
READ: UST is 7th most research-productive PH school: nat’l study
The University was categorized in the first tier of research-intensive institutions, with over 1,700 Scopus-listed papers across 10 disciplines as of June 2023. UST also led medical research productivity among comprehensive universities, with 497 publications over the past five years.
Improvements in tech, synergy among disciplines
Ang assumed office at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced educational institutions to shift to virtual learning and ramp up investments in technology.
In his inaugural speech, Ang acknowledged these challenges, stating, “Poor digital scales and connectivity issues remain to be roadblocks among most of our learners. We are aware of the importance of IT integration in education.”
In 2023, UST officially embraced hybrid learning when the Office of the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs announced that no full face-to-face (F2F) classes would be held to take “advantage of the gains from enriched virtual mode of instruction.”
READ: UST embraces hybrid: No full F2F, fully online classes in AY 2023-2024
By Academic Year 2023-2024, UST had transitioned from Blackboard, its learning management system for 20 years, to Canvas. Academic units were tasked to determine the optimal blend of online and onsite hours for each course.
That same year, UST revamped the MyUSTe portal, consolidating all University services into a single platform for students, academic staff, and alumni.
Ang had also pushed to make UST more “interdisciplinary” by fostering collaborations among its academic units.
With distinct specializations planned for UST’s campuses — UST Santa Rosa envisioned as a technological and innovation hub and UST GenSan as an agri-tech campus — the disciplinal strengths of UST Manila are expected to be further complemented by these campuses.
Health
One of Ang’s biggest challenges upon taking over was steering the University through the pandemic. Despite the difficulties, he pledged that UST would “continue to adapt to changes, no matter how disruptive they may be.”
UST successfully weathered the health crisis, with a significant drop in Covid-19 cases among Thomasians in 2023. During the pandemic, the University also served as a Covid-19 vaccination site.
However, a recent health-related issue emerged — this time not involving disease or illness. Manila Ordinance 8793 sparked backlash among faculty, support staff, and hospital workers, who opposed the mandatory health permit requirement.
Employees criticized UST’s policies for non-compliance, including barring non-tenured faculty members from teaching in Term 1. Ang met with labor unions on Aug. 27, but the results of the discussion were kept under wraps.
READ: Timeline: Manila’s health permit ordinance
This was one of several controversies under Ang’s first term, which also includes the Office for Student Affairs’ censorship of TomasinoWeb in February, a case that drew national attention after journalist groups and alumni rallied behind the student organization.
Second term
Ang’s installation as Rector will take place at the Santísimo Rosario Parish on Sept. 9 at 10:30 a.m. Prior to the ceremony, at 9 a.m., a votive Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary’s nativity will be celebrated, with Philippine Dominican Prior Provincial Fr. Filimon de la Cruz, O.P. presiding.
Ang, who was ordained to the priesthood in 1998, was vice rector of UST for eight years under the rectorship of Dagohoy.
He topped the voting of the Academic Senate on the terna or list of three eligible candidates produced through secret balloting by the Dominican fathers in UST.
According to the University’s general statutes, the Rector, as the chief executive officer of the University is responsible for the promulgation of laws and rules in the University, appointment of heads and officials, crafting of the annual budget of the University, and the approval of programs and semestral schedules of all faculties, colleges and schools.
Ang’s second term will run until 2028. Fernando Pierre Marcel B. Dela Cruz, Sydney Venice V. Berba and Amador Denzel M. Teston
