A viable option for the Asian student

Every young student in the developing world has thought of studying abroad at one time or another. But to many, even to the most qualified, this remains an elusive dream due to financial constraints and other factors. However, an option exists for the Asian student who intends to acquire formal training comparable to that offered by United States' universities. This option is higher education in the Philippines.

The Philippines has long been considered the educational Mecca of the developing world. It is home to one of the world's oldest universities, the University of Santo Tomas (UST), otherwise known as the Pontifical University, because of papal endorsement during its founding in the 17th century, which preceded even that of the famed Harvard University of the United States.

By virtue of the foresight of its leaders and educators, the Philippines has developed one of the most advanced educational systems in the world. Most of its educational institutions offer innovative programs tailored for application in the developing world.

The University of the Philippines (UP) is perhaps the most prestigious university in the country. Established in 1908, it has assumed leadership in the areas of law, public administration, medicine, engineering, economics, education, mass communication, agriculture and forestry. The university has granted more graduate degrees to foreign students than any other university in the developing world.

Apart from the main campus in Diliman, UP, has a campus in Los Banos, considered as the center for agriculture and development studies in the Third World. The state university also has a campus in Baguio, the summer capital of the Philippines. Iloilo, one of the oldest cities in the Visayas region, also has a UP campus that focuses on aquiculture and fisheries. Students from UP in Cebu, another Visayan city, specialize in mass communication and other fields in the liberal arts.

Other well-known universities based in the country are Ateneo de Manila University, recognized for its quality liberal arts education; De La Salle University, a major educational center for business and engineering; Mindanao State University, a center for Islamic and development studies; Silliman University, known worldwide for its creative writing courses; the Philippines School for Business Administration; the Philippine Normal Colleges, and the University of Santo Tomas.

At present, there are approximately 6,000 foreign students in Philippines universities. They include Americans, Bangladeshis, British, Chinese, Ethiopians, Indians, Indonesians, Iranians, Iraqis, Jordanians, Koreans, Lebanese, Nepalese, Nigerians, Pakistanis, Palestinians, Samoans, Sudanese, Thais and others.