Tuesday, May 19, 2015

UST is first Philippine University with Four Stars QS Rating

UST is first Philippine University with Four Stars QS Rating

            The University of Santo Tomas (UST) has been awarded an overall rating of Four Stars by the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Stars team from London. Commenting on the result, QS Asia CEO Ms. Mandy Mok said, “This is first in the Philippines to be star-rated, at Four Stars. It is certainly a great feat!”

            The QS Intelligence Unit (QSIU) collected data from the University of Santo Tomas and evaluated these against the QS Stars criteria. After thorough evaluation, the University of Santo Tomas met all the prerequisites and was awarded Four Stars.

            The QS Stars rating system is operated by the QS Intelligence Unit, the independent compiler of the annual QS World University Rankings. The QS Stars ratings are based on the individual institution’s performance measured against pre-set standards.

            The QS Stars system rates universities across the world against a range of important performance indicators numbering to 50, grouped into eight categories: Employability, Research, Internationalization, Teaching, Facilities, Inclusiveness (formerly Access), Social Responsibilities (formerly Engagement), and the institution’s standing in specialist subjects.
            According to QS Stars definition, a typical four-star university is highly international, and demonstrates excellence in both research and teaching. Moreover, the institution provides an excellent environment for students and faculty.

            It is noteworthy that the University achieved an impressive Five Stars rating in Employability, Facilities, Social Responsibility and Inclusiveness.

            This was officially announced during the 8TH QS World Class, held from March 25 to 27, 2015, at the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, Phuket, Thailand. The event was attended by the UST Rector, Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., who received the certificate from QS Stars.

            Fr. Dagohoy championed UST’s efforts at seeking the QS Stars Rating, with the Quality Management Office (QMO) as the lead group. QMO Director Assoc. Prof. Joehanna K. Ngo, PIE, ASEAN Engr., and QMO Asst. Director Engr. Nestor R. Ong, PIE, ASEAN Engr., worked in collaboration with all the concerned administrators and academic officials in the University to gather data that will validate the claim on UST’s world-class performance in the Educational Quality Management System (EQMS) for excellence.
            During the General Management Assembly Meeting held on February 16, 2015 at the Blessed Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, O.P. building, Fr. Dagohoy stressed that “standards are markers of quality that provide a correct and concrete picture of an organization’s performance, stability and sustainability. The need to implement quality standards has been a major thrusts by universities worldwide for the last twenty years, to achieve an unvarying concept of excellence to accomplish its mission.”

            He added, “the best way we can serve the country as an institution is to prepare a generation of Filipinos by affording them quality education that is not only the best in the country, but [something] of global quality.”

            Fr. Dagohoy ended his message by encouraging everyone to work collaboratively in achieving common goals. He said, “this is also an opportunity for us to realize that our desire to position ourselves better than our peers cannot be achieved by a singular work of a particular office, but a common and concerted effort of all departments and units in the University.”


Source: The Academia, The Official International Bulletin of the University of Santo Tomas, April 2015, page 8.


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