Foreign universities to establish PHL campuses

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said on Wednesday that more Filipino students will be able to access international education as foreign universities establish local campuses nationwide.

“We are focusing on embracing the other mode of TNHE (Transnational Higher Education), which is for foreign universities to build their campuses on our own shores,” CHED Chairperson Shirley C. Agrupis told reporters in a press conference.

“With foreign universities that have international standards, we can send our Filipino learners to the world-standard education curriculum at our own cost on our own shores,” she added.

Based on the national strategy for TNHE and Republic Act No. 11448, foreign higher education institutions (FHEIs) can establish branches in the Philippines by partnering with local universities or companies.

Local partners must be at least 60% owned by Filipino citizens, duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

“This is a win-win IRR (Implementing Rules and Regulations) for Philippine higher education,” Ms. Agrupis said.

“The national strategy plan for transnational higher education provides a concrete pathway and road map to address the challenges in student and faculty mobility as well as the strengthening research collaboration,” she added.

The commission noted that collaboration between schools allows more students to save on overseas education fees.

“This is extremely important because… sending Filipinos abroad under full scholarship may devastate our finances for this program,” Ms. Agrupis said. “We cannot confine our students in our local teaching and learning ecosystem because the landscape of higher education changes so fast.”

CHED recently signed a partnership with the United Kingdom (UK) to strengthen academic ties and collaboration. It likewise plans to explore potential TNHE partnerships with Japan, the United States, Australia and Canada. — Almira Louise S. Martinez