The world’s largest Catholic University, University of Sto. Tomas announced that it will adopt and adjust to the new academic calendar which will change the previous June to March calendar into the new system, the September to June academic calendar.
According to the UST, the move is part of the school’s “internationalization” and for its eventual integration to the planned ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in the year 2015.
The AEC is part of the regional (–foul word(s) removed–)ociation, the ASEAN’s thrust for its member-nations to connect in different aspects, including those in the education sector. Aside from aligning with the AEC vision, the new system can also provide opportunities for students and faculty members to take part in an exchange program in the other universities in ASEAN and around the world.
According to a news report from Varsitarian, Clarita Carillo, Vice Rector for Academic Affairs, the academic calendar will be moved so it will synchronize with the international universities to “allow greater efficiency in implementing student and faculty exchange programs.
She added further that “We are cramming for ASEAN 2015. Either we respond now or we again allow ourselves to be left behind,” Carillo added.
Meanwhile the University of the Philippines and the Ateneo de Manila University announced earlier that they are also considering the academic calendar shift.
According to UP’s proposal of moving the start of cl(–foul word(s) removed–) to August, citing reasons that the move will “allow greater synchronization of the Philippine academic calendar with those of ASEAN, Northeast Asian (China and Korea) and the American and European universities.”
The move of changing the University of the Philippines academic year will also allow the UP faculty to join the training programs and summer institutes that usually take place in the months of June and July.
The Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) on their part have already finished a study regarding the proposed shift. The study was conducted by the ADMU Office of the Vice President for University and Global Relations last October 15-November 7, 2013.
In a report posted by The Guidon, Ateneo is considering a shift to an August to May Academic calendar for school year 2015 to 2016, after a proposal was released to the Ateneo website in early October.
The Commission on Higher Education has not yet mandated all higher education institutions to make the academic calendar shift, it has reminded those who will needs to comply with the guidelines. CHED requires that each semester must comprise of 18 weeks and with corresponding number of hours per week.