What makes a top university? The University of Santo Tomas (UST) knows that educators are at the backbone of its efforts to make a difference in academia. This aligns with the criteria of the Times Higher Education and Quacquarelli Symonds, as both institutions put more weight into teaching and academic reputation when it comes to university rankings.
Through transnational education (TNE), UST realizes its vision of empowering its College of Architecture teachers.
UST, the top-performing school in the January 2024 licensure exams for architects, is poised to keep its leadership in the field as four of its educators put their TNE degrees to full use. Architect David Yu finished the dual PhD in Built Environment/Architecture from UK’s University of Reading (UoR) and UST in 2022.
The program aims to integrate multi-disciplinary approaches to urban design, offering training in social science and environmental engineering. It aims to enhance understanding of architecture, focusing on quality of life, sustainability, and community resilience.
Ranked 6th in the UK for research power in Architecture, Built Environment, and Planning by Times Higher Education, UoR has significantly advanced Thomasian educators’ expertise in the field. This has empowered TNE graduates, such as Yu, with prestigious credentials, enabling the UST instructor to tackle national and classroom challenges effectively.
Yu shared, “My research transformed how I see urban development—it’s now about empowering communities through collaborative processes, not just imposing grand designs.” This perspective shapes his teaching of architecture students, challenging them to critique traditional urban models and consider social dynamics within informal settlements.
Yu’s transnational education, supported by the British Council and CHED, aligns with the Transnational Education Higher Education Act, connecting Philippine and UK universities. This initiative allows Filipinos to earn both a local postgraduate credential and an international qualification without relocating to the UK. Through his TNE research, Yu explored the role of informal settlements in architecture and its governance implications.
“This area of study fascinated me because it revealed the agency and creativity of residents who often shape their environments,” he explained. “We can develop more inclusive and people-centered approaches to urban design. This knowledge can empower both residents and policymakers to create more sustainable and equitable cities for the future.”
Architects John Ong and Joey De Vera, Yu’s colleagues at the UST College of Architecture, also earned the same dual PhD degree. With their upgraded credentials, all three have taken on new roles in the college. Yu is now program coordinator, Ong wears the hat of coordinator of assessments, while De Vera has been named coordinator of the college’s Building Technology and Building Utilities Cluster.
Ong and De Vera are focused on applying their TNE learning in the field of research, a key element in a thriving academic institution. “I learned how profound the approach of British education is in the realm of research. My methods in reading and writing have immensely improved from my experience in studying PhD at the University of Reading,” Ong said.
“My TNE experience has opened up the expansive realm of research and this has inspired me to do more research work related to my profession,” De Vera added.
Architect Brian Lim, another TNE graduate from UST College of Architecture, has seen his research work featured in the 2023 conference of the Industrial Society for Industrial Ecology, held in Leiden, Netherlands.
The UST educators are pouring their expertise and experience into making the Dominican institution the country’s top architecture school. They also hope their research can help change the world for the better. “My ultimate goal is to publish my findings and contribute to the field of urban design,” said Yu.
De Vera, in his case, seeks to study more about artificial intelligence. “In the coming years, I see my field evolving at an unprecedented rate and pace given the ever-developing world of AI. It has practically revolutionized both the teaching and design professions, opening up new possibilities for innovation and collaboration.”
UST is only one of the university partners of the British Council, which is continuously at work to open more TNE opportunities. To learn more about TNE and other education opportunities offered by the British Council, visit www.britishcouncil.ph.