PH, UK forge deals for transnational education

The British Council selected the universities based on set criteria, such as having autonomous status, “Level 3” accreditation from CHED, and programs that focus on national priorities set by the government, among others. (Photo by Commission on Higher Education)

MANILA — The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has partnered with the British Council in providing higher educational institutions (HEI) access to niche courses from the United Kingdom (UK) to further improve the state of education in the country.

The Joint Development of Niche Programs (JDNP), through the Philippine-UK Linkages project, will provide capacity and funding support to 10 selected local HEIs to develop and implement niche programs that are not currently available in the country.

This will help improve the quality of the Philippines’ higher education system through partnerships with UK universities, enabling local universities to become more globally competitive by offering degrees that are responsive to national issues and challenges.

Student participants will receive dual or double degrees from HEIs in both local universities and partner UK universities. These degrees are valid in the UK and in all other countries where the UK has degree recognition agreements.

Developing niche expertise in various areas is seen to help improve the state of higher education in the Philippines and the ASEAN region leading to robust economic growth.

“By bringing together the academic excellence of Philippine and UK universities to co-create postgraduate niche degrees not currently available in the country, we are making international degrees more accessible and affordable to Filipinos who, otherwise, would not be able to pay for the cost of a full study abroad degree,” Lotus Postrado, British Council’s head of education, said in a press conference held Friday in Makati City.

The British Council selected the universities based on set criteria, such as having autonomous status, “Level 3” accreditation from CHED, and programs that focus on national priorities set by the government, among others.

For his part, CHED officer in charge Commissioner Prospero de Vera said transnational education programs are aimed at offering opportunities outside the country by utilizing international expertise to improve the curriculum of local higher learning institutions.

“The idea is for CHED to play a facilitating role to bring together universities to work toward common degree programs that will provide new avenues for learning through offering programs not currently existing in the country. So that you enlarge opportunities for students not just in the Philippines but also in the region by inviting international students to take part in the program,” said de Vera.

“The role of the government is to facilitate in providing funding so that you bring universities with common interests together and fast-track the development of trans-national education programs,” he added.

There are 17 programs currently under development between 10 Philippine universities and nine UK institutions namely:

*Ateneo de Manila University and Queen Mary University of London:
Dual degree, MSc Innovation through Media Arts Technology
Dual degree, MSc Data Science

*Bicol University and University of Liverpool:
Dual degree, MSc Sustainable Food System

*Central Luzon State University and University of Liverpool:
Dual degree, PhD Sustainable Food Systems (by research)

*De La Salle University and Liverpool Hope University:
Dual degree, MSc Computer Science
Dual degree, MSc Data Science/MSc Data Engineering
Dual degree, MSc Sport and Exercise Nutrition

*Miriam College and Goldsmiths University of London:
Dual degree, PGCert and MA Designing Education

*Saint Louis University and Coventry University:
Dual degree, MSc Disaster Risk Reduction and Management

*Silliman University and Newcastle University
Double degree, Newcastle University: MRes Marine Ecosystems and Governance

*Silliman University: MRes Tropical Biological University

*University of the Philippines – Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology
and University of Reading
Dual degree, PhD Meteorology (by research)

*University of the Philippines – Los Banos and University of Reading:
Dual degree, PhD (by research)

*University of San Carlos and Coventry University:
Dual degree, PhD Engineering

*University of San Carlos and Cardiff Metropolitan University:
Joint degree, MA Arts and Design

*University of Santo Tomas and University of Reading:
Dual degree, PhD Built Environment/Architecture

*University of Santo Tomas and University of Leeds:
Ladderised program, Master in Public Health (International) – University of Santo Tomas, Postgraduate
Certificate -University of Leeds

CHED will be providing financial assistance worth PHP5 million for each HEI out of its K-12 transition program and counterpart funding from the universities and the British Council.

The commission will be assessing the program’s impact on the universities as it considers to further expand the program to more higher learning institutions.