THE UNIVERSITY of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) has conferred an honorary doctor of letters degree on UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. in recognition of his academic contribution and Church leadership.
UNDA feted Ang in a graduation ceremony on May 1 at the International Convention Centre in Sydney.
Introducing Ang, UNDA Chancellor Christopher Ellison highlighted the Rector’s influential role in advancing Catholic higher education.
“Fr. Ang has become a beacon of Catholic intellectual tradition in the 21st century, elevating the dialogue between faith and reason, and championing the values that shape moral and civic leaders for our world today,” he said.
In his acceptance speech, Ang, who is in his second term as UST Rector, reflected on the experience of leading the University out of the pandemic rut, having first taken the mantle in 2020.
“Throughout many years of my experience in a university, I have learned that a sense of purpose defines one’s character as a leader, not the title, but the integrity and vision that guide every action,” he said.
Ang also emphasized the growing partnership between UST and UNDA, which traces back to the 2016 Conference of the Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities, when an 11-member UST delegation visited its Broome campus.
“Notre Dame has nurtured leaders, educators, and thinkers who do not simply respond to the world, but reconfigure it with faith, purpose, and hope,” the Rector said. “These are the very same core values that deeply resonate with me and have been the cornerstone of my leadership.
“Today and tonight, I am not just your honoree, I am not just your guest. I am your colleague, your collaborator, your brother, and your friend,” he added.
A UST alumnus, Ang graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the Faculty of Arts and Letters in 1990 and a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology from the Ecclesiastical Faculties in 1997.
He earned a licentiate in sacred theology and a master’s degree in religious studies from the Ecclesiastical Faculties and the Graduate School in 1999, followed by a doctorate in philosophy from the Ecclesiastical Faculties in 2010. He consistently received Latin honors throughout his academic career at UST.
Ang was named 97th Rector Magnificus of UST in 2020. On Sept. 9 2024, he was installed to his second term as the top university academic official following a multi-stage process that required Vatican approval.
In that installation, Ang reasserted UST’s commitment to boosting internationalization efforts by pursuing more cross-border collaborations, especially in research, and increasing the number of international faculty and students.
Among the highlights of Ang’s rectorship was UST’S expansion, which saw two new campuses open up outside Manila: the largest and first-ever branch campus in General Santos City and the research-focused annex in Santa Rosa, Laguna.
Under Ang, UST also improved its digital learning resources, migrating to the Canvas learning management system from Blackboard and sticking to a hybrid mode of learning, where a portion of class hours are dedicated to online instruction.
The University of Notre Dame Australia is ranked 1,401+ by the Quacquarelli-Symonds World University Rankings and 1,201-1,500 by the Times Higher Education.
