UST RECTOR Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. formally began his second term with a fresh roadmap for UST that aims to boost research output and go beyond a reputation as Asia’s oldest existing university by fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
In his acceptance address on Sept. 9, Ang listed six priorities for UST in the next four years under his “Vision 2028”:
- enriched academic research and service quality;
- sustained research and innovation beyond the Manila campus;
- optimization of the private and clinical divisions of UST Hospital;
- enhanced student welfare services;
- government and industry collaboration; and
- strengthened public presence.
Ang, UST’s 97th Rector, said the new roadmap builds upon the seven-point agenda unveiled at the start of his first term in 2021, where he sought to ensure the University’s survival beyond the Covid-19 pandemic.
With the global health crisis over, Ang’s plan is for UST to have a renewed focus on research and be “among the most innovative universities in this part of the world.”
Several Dominican fathers, including former University vice chancellors and rectors, as well as Archbishop Charles Brown, the apostolic nuncio to the Philippines, attended Ang’s installation, which began with a Mass presided over by Filipino Dominican Prior Provincial Fr. Filemon de la Cruz, O.P.
UST’s first Chinese Filipino Rector signed the decree of his appointment and recited a profession of faith and oath of fidelity while kneeling before De la Cruz, the top Filipino Dominican, in the presence of University officials at Santisimo Rosario Parish Church.
With the assistance of De la Cruz and Central Seminary Rector Fr. Quirico Pedregosa, O.P., representative of the all-Dominican UST Board of Trustees, Ang wore the Rector’s Collar containing the seals of UST’s faculties and colleges over his navy-blue mozzetta, the color that represents his field of philosophy.
The collar was first worn by the first Filipino rector of UST, the late Leonardo Legaspi, who became archbishop of Caceres.
Ang was also ceremonially entrusted with the University maces, symbolizing the spiritual and temporal powers of UST’s highest authority, by the executive vice rector, Isaias Tiongco, O.P., and vice rector for academic affairs, Prof. Cheryl Peralta.
More Ph.D. researchers
In his address, Ang said that in the next four years, the curricula should be reviewed to include emerging disciplines and assess opportunities for interdisciplinary approaches.
He also vowed to recruit more faculty members with experience in research, and convince existing tenured faculty to earn doctorate degrees, as “faculty development is the bedrock of quality in teaching.”
“We will exhort research centers to secure diverse funding sources including international grants and partnerships,” he said. “Let us work harder to increase the number of publications and citations in reputable journals.”
“The University will explore ways to stimulate research publications and seek to secure additional research funding from external stakeholders,” he added. “These efforts aim to inspire high-quality research in areas with significant impact on the world.”
UST was recently named one of the top five Philippine comprehensive universities in research productivity, based on a study by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).
Beyond Manila
Ang also bared plans to capitalize on the University’s investments in the Santa Rosa and General Santos (GenSan) campuses.
“Looking ahead, we aim to develop the UST Research and Innovation Complex in Santa Rosa based on the entrepreneurial model,” he said. “This innovation will complement and enhance UST Manila’s research and innovation efforts.”
UST will also explore the possibility of offering academic programs at UST Santa Rosa, which now houses researchers and innovators in the UST-Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center.
The Mindanao campus in General Santos City will evolve into an agricultural technology educational institution by 2030. This will be achieved through the planned Dr. Ricardo S. Po Sr. Integrated Innovation and Research Laboratories and the proposed School of Science that will join three existing schools in health sciences, business and accountancy, and engineering and information technology.
RELATED: UST GenSan to establish School of Agri-Tech in 5 to 10 years
“As UST Gensan is now in its incipient stage of operation our primary target for the coming months and for the coming years is to offer quality Thomasian education,” he said. “We will continue to recruit highly competent faculty and staff to give our learners the best educational experience.”
Ang said UST GenSan would be an independent campus in four years, or by the end of his second term. The Mindanao campus is a branch campus of UST Manila, offering programs similar to existing program offerings in the main campus.
Optimization of UST Hospital
Ang said UST Hospital’s private division will increase revenues to fully subsidize operations of the teaching hospital’s clinical division. This will require expansion and upgrades to hospital facilities and the hiring of more personnel.
“The University recognizes the importance of having a state-of-the-art facility that will enhance both teaching and research, equipping future physicians with the capacity to meet the growing medical needs of our society,” he said.
“We also set our sights on indigent patients, interns, residents, and fellows. We shall study how to address the concerns of the interns and residents. Potential partnerships with external stakeholders here and abroad and philanthropic organizations will be carefully studied.”
Ang also mentioned the soon-to-open Henry Sy Sr. Hall at UST Manila, which he touted as an edifice that would “elevate our capacity to train future physicians and medical researchers.”
Enhance student welfare services
A former student leader at the Faculty of Arts and Letters, Ang said he recognized the importance of student welfare as he declared his “commitment to fully support the holistic development of the student body.”
Under Ang’s second term, the Office for Student Affairs will review policies concerning student organizations and case investigations by Student Welfare and Development Committees (SWDCs).
In March, following the TomasinoWeb censorship controversy, UST formed a technical working group to conduct dialogues with representatives of accredited student organizations and assess student-related policies and guidelines.
Discussions began the following month, spearheaded by the OSA officer in charge, Asst. Prof. Jaezamie Ong.
Ang said the UST Health Service must also boost its delivery of medical services. The Counselling and Career Center must do more to address psychological issues and job concerns, and college regents and the Campus Ministry should be more responsive to Thomasians’ spiritual needs, he said.
UST also plans to build more student residences for inbound students and student clerics at the UST Ecclesiastical Faculties, Ang said.
Government and industry collaboration
More tie-ups with local government units could be expected under Ang’s fresh term, with the Rector setting his sights on intensified collaboration within the academe and the wider community.
“The University will expand its internationalization efforts by increasing the number of international faculty and students and maintaining global accreditations for transnational education and research,” he said.
It was during this part of his speech when he briefly addressed the controversy surrounding Manila City Ordinance 8793, or the health permit mandate, saying UST should “work harmoniously with our government.”
Ang’s installation was attended by UST benefactors, some of them alumni:
Wilcon Depot Inc. founder William Belo; SM Foundation executive director Deborah Sy; Century Pacific Food Inc. CEO Ted Po; Al Francis Chua, sports director of San Miguel Corp. and UST’s special assistant to the Rector for basketball; and Jose Siao Ling of JSLA Architects.
Also present was Fr. Roberto Yap, S.J., president of Ateneo de Manila University.
Bolster public relations
Ang said UST was committed to a more aggressive approach to enhance its visibility through the promotion of UST’s brand of education on different channels.
“We will address this by crafting compelling narratives and producing features that highlight our institutional accomplishments and breakthroughs by celebrating our successes and showcasing our innovations,” he said.
“Together we need to show our external stakeholders, particularly higher education institutions here and abroad, what UST can still do in the 21st-century educational landscape.” Marco Luis D. Beech
