The British Council, the UK's international organization promoting cultural relations and educational opportunities, is expanding its influence in the Philippines with significant educational initiatives led by Country Director Lotus Postrado and Head of Education Pierre Pecson.
Through collaborations between the UK and the Philippines, the organization's transnational education initiative has seen consistent growth, offering students and learners opportunities to specialize in areas such as sustainable food systems, design engineering, energy security, and digital innovation. Transnational education allows students and professionals to pursue international degree programs without the necessity of being physically present abroad on a full-time basis.
This provides learners with the opportunity to study, adapt, and gain knowledge from higher education within their home country, aligning with the digital age and easing access to educational pursuits. Transnational education is currently integrated into the Access and Competitiveness through Internationalization of Higher Education (ACT-IHE), a partnership involving the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd). This initiative aims to broaden learners' access to quality higher education and empower Filipino universities.
"British Council's transnational education program has enabled Philippine institutions to develop and implement these programs in their respective universities, empowering them to nurture academic excellence and build linkages between the Philippines and the United Kingdom", Postrado remarked. Aligned with this objective, the British Council in the Philippines aims to enhance institutional quality through their support, which ranges from introducing programs not currently available in the country to fostering opportunities for Filipino experts to specialize in specific fields.
"With the passing of Republic Act 11448 (An Act Expanding Access to Educational Services Through the Establishment and Administration of Transnational Higher Education), the Philippines is taking its first step toward internationalization. While it is signaling the country's openness to collaborate with international universities, there is still work to do to make the policy environment of the Philippines more conducive to transnational education partnerships", Postrado said.
"As a partner for the Second Congressional Commission on Education (Edcom 2) where we embrace internationalization as a cornerstone for higher education, we aspire for this collaboration to pave the way for enhanced opportunities. We look forward to facilitating university faculty exchanges and fostering program delivery within the country", Postrado added.
