University of Santo Tomas System explained

University of Santo Tomas System
Type:Private Catholic organization
Founder:Order of Preachers
Religious Affiliation:Roman Catholic (Dominican)
Country:Philippines
Campus:6 urban campuses:
Mascot:Bengal Tigers[1]

The University of Santo Tomas System is a network of private schools that belong to the Philippine Dominican Province of the Order of Preachers.[2] The system is composed of its six campuses at cities of Manila, Legazpi, Quezon, General Santos, Santa Rosa, and Iloilo.

The UST System is one of the two educational institution systems of the Dominicans of the Philippine Dominican Province.[2] The other is the Letran System, which has four campuses.

Institutions

The University of Santo Tomas System consists of four existing campuses and one upcoming satellite campuses located in Southern Tagalog. The Manila campus is the main educational institution of the system.

The integration of select Dominican schools was a mandate of the 2012 and 2016 Provincial Chapters of the Philippine Dominican Province. In the 2012 Acts, the integration was planned to facilitate the coordination of the apostolic priorities and sharing of resources of several institutions.[3] In December 2014, the Aquinas University of Legazpi (AUL) in Albay, Angelicum College in Quezon City, and Angelicum School Iloilo, signed a memorandum of intent to integrate with UST Manila.[4] The future UST campus in Santa Rosa, Laguna, will also be part of the system. The integration plan was reinforced in the 2016 Acts.[3]

The two existing constituent units, UST–Legazpi and UST Angelicum College, are independent campuses.[5] Each campus is headed by a rector. The board of trustees of UST Angelicum College is composed of 12 representatives from UST Manila and three from UST Angelicum College.[6] [3] Angelicum College's signature non-graded system of education is retained.

UST–Legazpi has fiscal and administrative independence from the main campus. The rector and board of trustees are also different.[7] [8] The integration of AUL also entailed the renaming of its university hospital to UST–Legazpi Hospital.[9]

In December 2020, the construction of the Dr. Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center began in UST Santa Rosa. It is the first building in the campus.[10]

CampusLocationFoundationIntegrationRectorPrograms
University of Santo Tomas ManilaManila1611Richard AngBasic education, undergraduate, graduate, and professional
University of Santo Tomas LegazpiLegazpi City19482017 Edwin LaoBasic education, undergraduate, and graduate
University of Santo Tomas General SantosGeneral Santos City2024Richard AngUndergraduate
University of Santo Tomas Santa RosaSanta Rosa Citycolspan="4"
UST Angelicum CollegeQuezon City19722017John Stephen BesaBasic education and undergraduate
Angelicum School IloiloIloilo City1978Basic education

Notes and References

  1. Web site: UST, Angelicum QC formalize integration - . 29 June 2017 .
  2. Web site: UST now in Legazpi with Aquinas University name change . . UST.edu.ph . . June 16, 2021 .
  3. Web site: UST, Angelicum QC formalize integration . . UST.edu.ph . . June 16, 2021 .
  4. Web site: Bicol's premier school renamed as UST-Legazpi . Rhaydz . Barcia . December 11, 2017 . . June 17, 2021 .
  5. Web site: 5 Dominican schools to be integrated with UST . The Varsitarian. June 14, 2016. June 16, 2021.
  6. Web site: Angelicum QC signs UST integration . TomasinoWeb. June 29, 2017. June 17, 2021.
  7. Web site: Bicol's Aquinas U now UST Legazpi, to remain an 'independent' campus . The Varsitarian. September 15, 2017. June 16, 2021.
  8. Web site: "Aquinas University of Legazpi" now "University of Santo Tomas – Legazpi" . International Council of Universities of Saint Thomas Aquinas. May 2018. June 16, 2021.
  9. Web site: Aquinas U is now UST Legazpi. Bicol Mail. December 14, 2017. June 17, 2021.
  10. Web site: UST Inaugurates Innovation Center in Sta. Rosa Campus . Mel Matthew . Doctor . December 23, 2020 . The Post . June 18, 2021 .