The University of Santo Tomas (UST) has been recognized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as one of the Metro Manila institutions offering transnational education programs for undergraduate students.

UST received recognition for its dual undergraduate degree in Industrial Design with The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPolyU) under its College of Fine Arts and Design.

The program, signed in March 2024 by UST Rector Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. and HKPolyU Vice President Prof. Kwok-yin Wong, allows students to spend two years in Manila and two years in Hong Kong, earning degrees from both institutions.

CHED said the initiative aligns with the Transnational Higher Education Act of 2019, which provides a framework for partnerships between local and foreign universities.

It added that such programs give Filipino students access to “world-class education right at their doorstep.”

Under the arrangement, a maximum of five students may be endorsed per cycle.

The program will run until academic year 2028–2029.

Other institutions also recognized include Far Eastern University, Mapúa University, Miriam College, the Asian Institute of Management, and ECC Aeronautical & Technological College–North Manila.|Source: The Flame