It follows the launch of the Philippines’ TNE strategy for higher education for the years 2027-2030, unveiled at this week’s ASEAN-UK Higher Education Week in Manila – with the fast tracking of visas for students and academics under a “green lane” policy a standout.
But it is not just this that could see the country become a hub for collaborative partnerships with international institutions, educational leaders have told The PIE News.
The Philippines’ young population “all ready to go to tertiary education”, with some 32.54 million people aged between 15 and 30, as well as its “massive” higher education sector make it an attractive prospect for overseas universities looking for partnerships in the ASEAN region, according to director Philippines at the British Council, Lotus Postrado.
And with the new TNE strategy – drawn up between the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) with support from the British Council – the Filipino government has laid out its support for TNE projects, Postrado said.
“I think UK would look at [partnerhsips with the Philippines] because, of course, if it’s a government-driven initiative, they know it’s something they they could trust,” she told The PIE.
The British Council’s global head of transnational education, Eduardo Ramos, echoed Postrado’s view: “From a policy perspective, the Philippines has shown that they are very committed to creating the policy environment necessary for TNE to flourish,” he said.
From a policy perspective, the Philippines has shown that they are very committed to creating the policy environment necessary for TNE to flourish
Eduardo Ramos, British Council
While discussions at ASEAN-UK Education Week naturally focussed on projects between ASEAN institutions and UK partners, with deals already being signed between University of the Philippines Los Baños and the University of Reading, Postrado acknowledged that the plan would pave the way towards partnerships with other nations as well.
“[Filipino leaders] know it can work with the UK, so they know it would work with other other countries as well,” she said, pointing out that many TNE partnerships are multi-national, involving more than two partners.
“We learn from each other,” she said. “We compete, but at the same time we share.”
Postrado added that – unlike other TNE hubs across Asia, such as India – the Philippines is not necessarily looking for a surge in international branch campuses, although she noted that the strategy “allows all models of TNE”.
Instead, she said that the goal was to create co-designed programs and to build capacity in the country’s higher education system.
The Philippines is not the only South East Asian country with designs to amp up its transnational education offering.
Earlier this year, Indonesia positioned itself as the region’s “new kid on the block” for TNE partnerships with the UK, with a governmental aim of opening 10 new campuses in the coming years.
Malaysia has long been a TNE hub, with long-established international branch campuses set up by high-ranking universities. The Philippines has based part of its own TNE strategy on that of its neighbour, citing its influence on the visa “green lane” policy.
