MANILA, Philippines — Coming close to celebrating a centennial year can bring back a lot of memories—the successes as well as the heartaches one has encountered through the years.
Such is the case for Mapúa University, the top engineering school in the country, as it marks its 97th founding anniversary this year.
Although three years shy of completing a century, the premier educational institution shows that it has been a top player in producing the best and the brightest for every year of its existence.
Founded in 1925 by Don Tomas Mapúa, an architecture graduate of Cornell University in the United States and the first registered architect of the Philippines, Mapúa University is the Philippines’ leading engineering and technological school. It is currently included in the 2022 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings, listed in the Top 501-550.
The pandemic certainly brought challenges for Mapúa, but it didn’t stop the university from providing top-notch education and training for its students. It managed to attain an overall rating of 4 QS Stars in 2020, garnering high ratings under eight performance categories: 5 QS Stars rating under Employability, Facilities and Social Responsibility categories; 4 QS Stars rating under Teaching and Inclusiveness categories; 4 QS Stars rating under the Program Strength category for its Bachelor of Science in Computer Science program; and 3 QS Stars rating under Internationalization and Academic Development categories.
'Stasis is not an option'
So, how did one of the country’s leading educational institutions achieve such great heights amid the setbacks brought about by the pandemic?
Mapúa University CEO and president Dr. Reynaldo B. Vea believes it all begins in forwardly riding through the times and enriching their status via their belief in technological advancements.
“We have been driven by the belief that the sum of human knowledge is exploding and that the world is shrinking in pace with rapid technological advances. Any organization, including educational institutions, can afford to stand still only on pain of being left by the wayside. Stasis is not an option,” says the forward-looking Vea.
While the country grapples with the current health crisis, and with classes still being held online, Vea stresses that between 2022 and 2025, completing the digital transformation of their academic and administrative processes is a priority, a fearless move that adheres to the times and the drastic changes happening around us.
“We shall strive for superior attainment of student outcomes through both blended learning and fully asynchronous online modes of delivery. We shall refine the integration of microcredentials into our curricula for heightened employability of our graduates,” Vea points out.
A 'pandemic-proof' institution
With Mapúa at the forefront of digital education in the country, it takes pride in the developments it has pivoted in the past two years. And yes, not even COVID-19 could hinder its goals.
Such digital developments included fully online program offerings for six Bachelor of Science degrees in engineering and IT launched in August 2021, along with partnering with Coursera for online learning delivery required in all programs it offers.
Mapúa has also acquired various e-text and online resource subscriptions such as Wiley, McGraw Hill, Aleks and Cengage and licenses for various softwares such as Zoom, Respondus Lockdown Browser and Monitor, MatLab, and Labster for classes, laboratory simulations and assessments. These are just a few of what they have been offering.
“Our digitalization efforts in the past years have made Mapúa education pandemic-proof. Our forward-looking approach has led us to more successes even during this difficult time,” shares Mary Christine A. Tomas, director for Center for Teaching and Learning (Digital).
From 97 onwards
These are just a few of Mapúa’s model highlights for the past two years since the country was hit by an ongoing crisis. Aside from our healthcare and other essential workers, the most affected by the current health crisis are the Filipino students and educators. The past two years had been a struggle for them, but Mapúa continues to rise to the occasion, making and developing the most conducive changes that prioritize its students and teachers.
“While students benefit from a nearly century-old tradition of excellence, we also instill in them the value of being united as one community and a sense of pride in being Mapúans who are not only academic achievers but also nation builders,” enthuses dean of Admissions and Scholarships Dr. Dionisia M. Lanuza