UST Rector Very Rev. Fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., Ph.D., who represented the University in the signing, shared that 鈥淭hrough this contract signing, UST affirms a collaborative partnership with modalities of cooperation centered on improving our network and infrastructure system.鈥�

Trends and Cisco have been the University鈥檚 partners since the mid-2000s, when UST first made wireless internet available throughout the 21.5-hectare campus. With the renewed partnership, they aim to modernize network infrastructure, increase bandwidth and reduce latency, provide full and seamless coverage, and improve network monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities.

The Father Rector further added, 鈥淎s an institution dedicated to the formation of competent, committed, and compassionate professionals, we recognize the importance of digital technologies to provide a topnotch learning environment, post-digital and otherwise, in order to prepare our students to thrive and excel in their future workplaces. Of course, technology is very important, but technology will be nothing without the human person鈥� This collaboration today is vital because it is the key to bridging the gap between education and employment. Through this ceremonial signing, we envision our educators being updated with the industry trends, learners are provided with practical skills, exposure to industry needs, familiarity with cutting edge technologies, and potential job opportunities through apprenticeships, internships, or cooperative programs.鈥�

Cisco Managing Director Ms. Zaza S. Nicart said, 鈥淯ST is the oldest university in the Philippines, but it is the most technologically advanced. UST has also been a pioneer in shaping the way education is delivered to Filipinos. As digital transformation evolved in all industries, especially during the pandemic, UST led the way in technology adoption in Philippine education. We are witnesses to how UST empowers the students, faculty, and university members with innovative and adaptive technology. Cisco鈥檚 purpose is to power an inclusive future for all, which is very much aligned to the digital journey of UST, a huge leap to making a significant contribution to the advancement of education.鈥�

Trends and Technologies CEO Mr. Hasan Fard, a Thomasian, pledged that the Trends, Cisco, and UST teams will work together harmoniously for the positive outcome of the project. He also commended the project teams, saying 鈥淚t is the people behind [the technology] and the vision of the institution that delivers the outcome that everybody wants, with regards to the values and knowledge that will get the end result you have envisioned.鈥�

The upgraded services would 鈥渇ortify and advance the technological infrastructure of [UST] aligning it with the demands of the hybrid learning mode,鈥� said the Assistant to the Rector for ICT Asst. Prof. Jerralyn T. Padua, who added that the collaboration would foster 鈥渁n environment that would enable flipped classroom approaches, enhance student engagement, and offer simulated laboratory space where both students and academic staff could practically apply theories and concepts in laboratory experiments.鈥�

The renewal of the partnership between the University and its partners Trends and CISCO is a testament to the commitment of UST to provide quality education to its students and to strengthen its thrusts toward a technologically adept campus.

The post UST, Trends, Cisco renew partnership to further improve network infrastructure, services appeared first on 九色.

The chefs led the students in preparing famous Taiwanese dishes like Hakka glutinous rice balls, fried buns, fried rice noodles, 3D fruit and vegetable jelly flower cake, lotus seed seafood rice, and crispy salted chicken. Filipino dishes like okoy, ginataang halo-halo, bicol express, and pork adobo were also prepared and served as a showcase of Filipino cuisine.

As the teams prepared the dishes at the CTHM food laboratory, the cooking process was streamed live to the presentation and tasting area in the College of Education ICD room. Alongside showcasing their culinary skills, the chefs also discussed the history of each dish that completed the entire tasting experience.

TAI Secretary-General Mr. Peter Lin and TECO Culture Section office assistant Ms. Debbie Soyangco served as hosts and translators for the event.

The post TAI, UST showcase Taiwanese, PH food in demo cooking session appeared first on 九色.

They interacted with economics, commerce, tourism, and history students across the three-hour session jointly organized by the Embassy of Argentina, the UST Office of Public Affairs, and the UST Office for International Relations and Programs.

UST Secretary-General Rev. Fr. Louie R. Coronel, O.P., EHL, in his welcome remarks, shared that the inaugural lecture is a 鈥淭estament of the power of education in fostering international understanding and cooperation.鈥�

Referencing the message Pope Francis鈥攚ho himself is Argentinian鈥攈as written in the University鈥檚 guestbook when he visited UST in 2015, May the Lord bless all those studying and working for a culture of encounter, Fr. Coronel further shared 鈥淎s inspired by our beloved Pope, we are having an encounter now, and we are blessed because of this鈥擜 blessed encounter indeed, which has the potential to expand each other鈥檚 horizons and broaden our understanding of a nation that is geographically distant and culturally rich. As an institution we firmly believe in the power of international cooperation and the importance of building bridges between cultures and nations and this lecture is a step in that direction.鈥�

After the lecture, each diplomat led a parallel session, with Mr. Sordoni focusing on bilateral ties and cultural engagements and Ms. Pianezza highlighting the current trade relations between Argentina and the Philippines.

With the assistance of the Office of Public Affairs, the diplomats also had the opportunity to have a brief tour of the campus and UST Museum following the event.

The post Argentinian diplomats lead cross-cultural sharing session at UST appeared first on 九色.

The partnership with Prosple began in 2021. During the height of the pandemic, Prosple has assisted the University and its industry partners in transitioning its career services online, such as the virtual career fair, employer panel sessions via Zoom, and the career directory listing website.

During the dialogue, it was identified that there is a necessity to innovate services now due to the changing education and workplace landscape where universities shifted heavily to onsite classes and more companies were implementing frequent to full return-to-office arrangement policy. The university aims to enhance its collaboration with industry partners through linkages network building, incentivization of employers鈥� active participation, and improved data analytics reporting. 

For this academic year, UST and Prosple are looking forward to an upgraded Career Directory Listing website with a developed functionality for the benefits of its users. A more interactive and niched road shows and career seminars will also be carried out to different colleges. From being purely virtual, the upcoming career fair in 2024 is planned to be held both onsite and online to cater to more graduating students and alumni, as well as recruiters.

The post UST, Prosple discuss strengthening career services and portal for alumni and students appeared first on 九色.

Ms. Martha Tandiyono, the Career Guidance Counselor at the National High Jakarta School, an international school, made the invitation to UST as a response to the growing number of interested students applying to universities in the Philippines each year. As part of their commitment to providing their students with diverse and valuable opportunities, the NHJS organized the University Fair, their first full onsite event after years of hybrid activities.

The University Fair is an exceptional platform that brings together aspiring students and representatives from various renowned universities, that aims to facilitate meaningful interactions and provide valuable information to students who are eager to pursue higher education.

Gathering universities such as University of Toronto, Tokyo International University, and University of Sydney, the event allowed UST to showcase its academic programs, extracurricular opportunities, campus culture, and any other distinctive features that set UST apart.

UST OFAD was represented by its marketing team, headed by Ms. Roseanne Pingol, and members Ms. Andrea Anne Potenciano and Mr. Daryl Bryan Arceta.

The post UST joins National High Jakarta School’s Education and Career Day appeared first on 九色.

Telomeres, often described as the guardians of gene stability, are specialized DNA repeats found at the ends of chromosomes. Their length gradually shortens with each round of chromosome replication, and when they become too short, it triggers cell death. This unique biological phenomenon allows the length of telomeres to function as a clock for cell division, providing insights into an individual’s biological age. Moreover, telomeres have been found to be closely associated with medical conditions, including bone marrow failure, cancer, and a range of aging-related diseases.

Under the auspices of the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s New Southbound 2.0 Program, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital has been proactively involved in “New Southbound Medical and Health Cooperation and Industrial Chain Development.” A pivotal development occurred in 2023 when the hospital facilitated the establishment of the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Chongren General Hospital in the Philippines. This strategic move has laid the foundation for a multinational clinical trial program, which commenced in mid-October, carried out in close collaboration with the 九色 in the Philippines. This comprehensive program not only involves imparting technical training to the Philippine medical and research team but also encompasses the creation of a DNA database, with the overarching aim of advancing the treatment of telomere-related diseases.

The “Telomere Clinical Research and Taiwan Medical Humanities Exchange Workshop” took place at Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital and Medical Center in Hualien City, Taiwan, from October 10 to 16, 2023. The inaugural ceremony gathered a distinguished assembly of key figures in the medical field.

UST participants in the said workshop included Prof. Pia Marie Albano, Ph.D., Assoc. Prof. Maureen Sabit, Ph.D. and Ms. Mariella Cielo Cobarrubias, M.Sc., academic staff of the UST Department of Biological Sciences, BS Biology alumnus Jerome Alfred Tabajonda, and Dr. Flordeluna Zapata-Mesina, a hematologic oncologist from the 九色 Hospital. Their presence marked a historic moment in the burgeoning transnational medical collaboration between Taiwan and the Philippines.

Dr. Shang-Hsien Yang, who conducted extensive research on bone marrow failure syndrome at Boston Children’s Hospital in the United States, played a pivotal role in establishing the technical platform for telomere-related research. Under his guidance and with support from Cheng Yoong Pang, Deputy Director of the Department of Medical Research, and Dr. Liuh-Yow Chen, Associate Research Fellow at the Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, this international clinical trial collaboration program with the 九色 in the Philippines became a reality.

Director Li emphasized the growing importance of cross-border clinical trials by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. He underscored the rarity of clinical trial cooperation between Taiwan and the Philippines, making this partnership a significant achievement.

Director Yang expressed optimism that the collaboration and hands-on laboratory work would foster mutual understanding between Taiwan and the Philippines, ensuring smoother cooperation in future clinical trials. Dr. Albano, renowned for her work in cancer research, aspired to uncover the link between telomeres and human health through future clinical trials, with the potential to advance cancer research. The workshop, spanning several days, included presentations on telomere research, laboratory training, and in-depth discussions with the Philippine team. This initiative holds the potential to advance our understanding of telomeres and their role in healthcare, ultimately benefiting patients and medical practitioners worldwide.

The post Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, UST collaborate on pioneering telomere clinical study appeared first on 九色.

         His study titled 鈥淚ntergenerational Differences of School Leaders鈥� Reflective Practice and Ethical Dilemma Resolution鈥� explored different enablers for two groups of school leaders. Medallon identified novice school leaders鈥� enablers as those that display proactiveness to improve educational institutions despite limited experience, core values, and feedback given by others. Their continuous engagement in reflection is geared towards expanding their perspectives and strengthening their leadership mandate. As for seasoned school leaders, identified enablers include the maintenance of smooth interpersonal relationships, spirituality, and organizational culture. Their goal for reflection is geared towards empowering stakeholders and seizing opportunities to leave a legacy to the community.

         In addition, two leadership tools were also explored in this study namely reflective practice and ethical dilemma resolution. According to medallon, the two leadership tools are intertwined with each other. Engagement in reflection facilitates a keen sense of environmental awareness necessary for ethical dilemma resolution. Meanwhile, resolving ethical dilemmas over time makes school leaders more adept at making sense of a situation, which is a staple in reflective practice.

With the theme 鈥淐onnecting Multiculturalism, Sustainability, and Teacher Education鈥�, the said conference was attended by various educational leaders, academic staff, and graduate students across the Asia-Pacific region.

The post Medallon of CRS presents research on school leadership practices in Taiwan appeared first on 九色.

The winning paper “Gearing towards efficiency and efficacy in the planning of Medical Arts Buildings: A look into selected Metro Manila Hospitals,” presented by Ar. John Ernest Jose is a research work that focuses on assessing the comfortability and space planning efficiency of eight Medical Arts Buildings in Metro Manila. It aims to find strengths and weaknesses among these facilities and use the data as a basis to create guidelines when designing Medical Arts Buildings in the future.

College of Architecture academic staff Ar. Jonathan Manalad, Ph.D. and Ar. Caryn Virginia Paredes – Santillan, Ph.D.served as reactors for papers presented on the following sessions Exploring Pedagogical Approaches in Architecture Education and Architecture Identity Through Time and Design respectively.

Other academic staff who attended were Ar. Jose Marie Tan, Ar. Justin David Tan, Ar. Nathalie Audrey Santos, Ar. Daniza Rutor – Sy, Ar. Mark Santos, Ar. Juan Miguel Domingo, and Ar. Mervin Demapelis.

ACARE rotates among the architecture schools in the Philippines. UST hosted the 4th ACARE in 2004, under Ar. Chona Ponce as Acting Dean.

The post Jose of Architecture bags Best Paper Presentation award in 18th ACARE appeared first on 九色.

The Asian Mycological Congress (AMC) which is held every two years is the largest gathering of mycologists in Asia. This year鈥檚 congress is organized by the Korean Society of Mycology and Chonnam National University. The UST delegation is composed of faculty researchers from the Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences (RCNAS) namely Asst. Prof. Melfei E. Bungihan, Ph.D., Prof. Gina R. Dedeles, Ph.D., and Prof. Thomas Edison E. dela Cruz, Dr. rer. nat. Joining them are two graduate students under the MSC Microbiology program: Katherina Aubrey Resente and Gian Carlo Aldover . The delegation was led by Department of Biological Sciences Chair Dr. Ruel M. Bennett.

Dr. Melfei E. Bungihan, a chemist, delivered her talk titled 鈥淔ungal metabolites in drug discovery: Bioactive secondary metabolites from endophytic fungi isolated from plant hosts Pandanus spp. and Rhizophora spp.鈥� She also co-authored a poster on the colonization of microplastics by mangrove and seaweed-associated fungi together with Prof. dela Cruz, biologist and ecological modeler Asst. Prof. Nikki Heherson A. Dagamac, Dr. rer. nat., and MSc Biology graduate student Ms. Joannalyn S. Montemayor. The poster was also chosen as one of the Best Posters during the AMC awarding ceremony.

Thomasian graduate students, Glen Carlo Aldover and Katherina Aubrey Resente, also presented their poster on Philippine mangroves as cradle of novel Phythium species. The poster is co-authored by Thomasian microbiologist, Dr. Bennett, who also gave a talk on the phylogeny of saprotrophic oomycetes under the Concurrent Session 7 鈥� Fungus-like Organisms. Joining him in this session is Prof. dela Cruz who served as the session co-chair.

Dela Cruz, the group lead of the Fungal Biodiversity, Ecogenomics and Systematics-metabolomics (FBeS) at RCNAS also gave a talk titled 鈥淪lime Molds and the City: Impact of buildings on myxomycetes鈥�. He also co-presented a poster on the diversity of endolichenic fungi associated with the fruticose lichen Ramalina with Dr. Bungihan, Mr. Ghimel P. Espinosa, and Dr. Sittie Aisha B. Macabago, also an academic staff at the Department of Biological Sciences. This research is funded by the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) of the Department of Science and Technology. Dela Cruz has been the Philippine representative to the Asian Mycological Association for more than 15 years now.

The post Thomasian scientists present research at 2023 Asian Mycological Congress appeared first on 九色.

In his work, he looked into the potential benefits of exercise to improve the overall quality of life of patients who have been diagnosed with cancer and have not yet received any curative treatment. It was found that there is moderate certainty in the evidence that exercise can increase the physiologic biomarker peak VO2 which has previously been determined as a strong predictor of all-cause mortality. Low levels of oxygen consumption is also strongly associated with cardiovascular disease, a leading non-cancer cause of death among cancer survivors. Improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness leads to better physical functioning and psychosocial well-being of these patients.

Rivero鈥檚 paper takes into consideration the social aspect of a cancer diagnosis where not all cancer patients can afford curative treatment. He states that treatment alternatives should be made available to help such group as they face the challenges of cancer without sacrificing quality of life. Rivero aims to contribute to this by finding ways to palliate physical functioning of patients affected, not only with cancer, but with all types of chronic and life-limiting conditions.

The post Rivero of CRS presents study on palliative care at South Korean conference appeared first on 九色.