The University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P; ) is a private university in the Philippines. It traces its beginnings to the Center for Research and Communication (CRC), which was established on August 15, 1967, as a private think-tank that conducted economic and social research and offered graduate courses in economics.
The spiritual and doctrinal formation given in the university is entrusted to Opus Dei, a Personal prelature of the Catholic Church.
History
On August 15, 1967,:: Welcome to Manila Bulletin Online :: a non-profit private research center was formally established by economists Bernardo M. Villegas and Jesus Estanislao, who would later be appointed Finance Secretary during the presidency of Corazon Aquino. It served as a think-tank for private sector businesses and a provider of economics training programs.
After this formal establishment, CRC set up its offices in a rented facility along Jorge Bocobo Street in Malate, Manila. Prior to this, the CRC's first office was at the offices of the United Coconut Authority of the Philippines, a private organization of coconut producers, then headed by Ambassador Jose V. Romero Jr., who served as its executive director.
The expansion of CRC into a university was inspired by a private meeting in Mexico between the founder of Opus Dei, Msgr. Josemaría Escrivá (now Saint), and the founders of CRC in 1970. The meeting encouraged Estanislao and Villegas to expand the institution's horizons internationally, which resulted to its first graduate program, the Masters in Industrial Economics.
CRC then moved to its current campus in Ortigas Center, Pasig, with established formal and informal programs in 1982. A year later, the Center for Food and Agribusiness was established. Then in 1987, CRC was reminded by Bishop Álvaro del Portillo to establish a university. This resulted to the Institute of Development Education, the foundation for the School of Education.
In 1995, the CRC's bid to become a university was approved by the Philippines' Commission on Higher Education, and the new university was named the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P). The CRC did not cease to exist, however; it continued to take on consultancy projects under its old name, as the Center for Research and Communication Foundation, Inc.
On March 19, 1989, the UA&P College of Arts and Sciences was established and admitted its first batch of 158 college students. The center finally gained its university status on June 26, 1995, with Estanislao as its first University President and Fr. Ramon Lopez, the regional Vicar of Opus Dei for Asia, as its Vice Grand Chancellor.
Timeline 1982 The Center for Research and Communication (CRC) transferred to its present campus in Ortigas Center.
1989 CRC's College of Arts and Science accepted its first batch of 158 undergraduate students.
1991 The first Equatorial Rites were held.
1992 The Sancta Maria Stella Orientis Oratory was inaugurated.
1993 The first batch of CRC-CAS students graduated. The School of Economics, School of Education, and Center for Management were established.
1995 The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved CRC’s conversion into the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P). The CRC continues to take on consultancy projects under its original name, as the Center for Research and Communication Foundation, Inc. (CRC) UA&P put up a straight five-year master’s program (combined undergraduate and graduate program). Jesus Estanislao was installed as UA&P’s first President.
1996 The School of Management was established.
1997 Mr. Mario D. Camacho was installed as the second University President.
1998 The University’s Honorary Grand Chancellor, Bishop Javier Echevarria, visited UA&P.
2000 Jose Maria Mariano was installed as the third University President.
2005 The Marketing Communication Effectiveness Awards (now the Asia Pacific Tambuli AwardsTambuli Awards, http://www.tambuliawards.com/) was launched. The first Eucharistic Procession was held.
2006 The School of Communication was established.
2008 Bishop Javier Echevarria visited UA&P for the second time. The School of Education was renamed the School of Education and Human Development in line with its three interrelated areas of faculty concentration: education, psychology, and human capital development.
2009 The School of Sciences and Engineering was established.
2013 The School of Law and Governance was established, with Atty. Joaquin S. San Diego as the founding Dean. The School of Education and Human Development established the Child Development and Education (CDE) Center as a preschool, teaching laboratory, and research center in early childhood education. UA&P became the first university in the Philippines to publish a sustainability report following the reporting framework of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI).
2014 The Parking and Sports Building (PSB) was completed.
2015 Winston Conrad B. Padojinog was installed as the fourth President of the University.
2016 UA&P put up a six-year integrated university program (combined junior college/senior high school, undergraduate, and graduate program). CHED designated the Teacher Education Program of UA&P as a Center of Development. The Institute for Marriage and Family Development was established under the Center for Research and Communication.
2017 CHED officially granted Autonomous Status to UA&P. The Institute of Law was established under the School of Law and Governance, with Atty. Maria Concepcion S. Noche serving as the Dean of the UA&P Law program. The University celebrated its Golden Jubilee.
2018 The PhD in Business Economics program, jointly offered by the School of Economics and the School of Management, was launched.
2019 The ALB Library expansion project was completed. CHED renews Autonomous Status given to UA&P for a period of two years.
2021 The Placido L. Mapa, Jr. Scholarship Endowment was created.
2022 The School of Law and Governance was renamed the School of Sciences, Law, and Governance to recognize the valuable and indispensable role of the social sciences in the profound understanding and effective practice of law and governance.
2023 The University’s Honorary Grand Chancellor, Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz, visited UA&P. The School of Communication was renamed the School of Media and Marketing to better reflect the school’s core offerings and clarify its scope.
2024 The University has been granted Autonomous Status by CHED for the third time under CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 07, Series of 2024. The validity of the autonomous status granted to UA&P shall be for a period of three years commencing September 16, 2024, to September 15, 2027.
Administration and organization Presidents of theUniversity of Asia and the Pacific Jesus Estanislao, 1995–1997 Mario Camacho, 1997–2000 Jose Maria Mariano, 2000–2015 Winston Conrad Padojinog, 2015–2025John Philip Yeung, 2025–Present The university is made up of a college offering liberal arts courses as core curriculum and six schools of varied specializations.
A Board of Trustees, chaired by Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr., takes care of the UA&P Foundation, Inc. Under it is the Management Committee, presided by University President John Philip Yeung, which is the university's governing body. It was formed to steer the university in the path set out for it. It makes sure that all plans, activities, and projects undertaken advance the mission, goals, and values of the university.UAP.asia Official website of the University of Asia and the Pacific, Administration - Management Committee, http://uap.asia/#aboutus-32-7
Campus Ortigas Campus The Ortigas Campus has five buildings: Administration & Library Building (ALB), College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), Development Communications Building (DCB), APEC Communications Building (ACB), and Parking and Sports Building (PSB).
Academic programs The University offers 19 undergraduate degrees and 13 stand-alone graduate degrees. It also offers two fast-track master’s programs: 5-Year Program (5YP), which is offered to incoming college freshmen that allows them to earn a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in just five years; and a 6-Year Integrated University Program (6YP), which is offered to incoming junior college (JC) students (senior high school) that allows them to earn their JC diploma, a bachelor’s degree, and a master’s degree in just six years. Another program, Lex Honors, offers graduates of Grade 12 an undergraduate degree and a Juris Doctor degree in seven years.
UA&P's academic programs operate on a semester calendar beginning in early August and ending in mid-May. Since 1998, students are graded in increments of 0.25, from 3.50(failing grade) to 1.00. Undergraduate students and students under the fast-track Master's program may graduate with Latin honors depending on their graduating GWA. For students of standalone graduate programs, they may graduate with High Distinction or with Distinction.
+University of Asia and the Pacific Academic AwardsUndergraduate Latin HonorsGraduate Academic AwardsSumma Cum Laude1.10 - 1.00with High Distinction1.20 - 1.00Magna Cum Laude1.30 - 1.11with Distinction1.50 - 1.21Cum Laude1.31 - 1.50
Student life
Student Mentoring Program An intrinsic part of the liberal education that UA&P offers—and part of the commitment of the University to the holistic development of its students—is the Student Mentoring Program, through which the University’s interdisciplinary offering of knowledge, skills, and values is reinforced on a one-to-one personal level.
The Student Mentoring Program provides students with the opportunity to avail of personal advising and assistance in different areas and at various stages of their student life. It will help them to reflect upon, assess, evaluate, and integrate their learning skills and experiences—under the guidance of their mentor—in a way that benefits the acquisition and strengthening of their intellectual skills and moral criteria. This is aimed toward the holistic formation of the students’ personal, professional, and social life.
Student Development Programs There are three sub-programs that handle a more specific range of activities to ensure learning and development even on activities that involve personal interest. These are Organizations and Leadership (which focuses on the development of the student organizations and student leaders through assemblies, leadership workshops, and facilitating students’ participation in external opportunities), Kultura (which seeks to preserve and promote culture and the arts and its significant role in liberal education), and Civics (which focuses on socio-civic initiatives, and guides student organizations in the execution of their outreach projects).
Sports Development Programs At UA&P, participation in sports is seen not only as a mechanism for the development of students’ physical competence and fitness, but more importantly for their character formation. With each training session or competition, with each victory or loss—students imbibe the values of teamwork, self-mastery, discipline, and the practice of sportsmanship at all times.
The University competes in the Men's National Collegiate Athletics Association (MNCAA) and the Women's National Collegiate Athletics Association (WNCAA) and supports teams in basketball, futsal, volleyball, handball, tennis, badminton, swimming, arnis, taekwondo, aikido, karate, table tennis, and athletics.
In December 2008, the men's futsal team won the championship cup in the MNCAA.
In October 2009, the women's basketball and volleyballUA&P grabs WNCAA volleyball crown http://www.uap.edu.ph/news.aspx?pg=95 teams won the championship titles in the WNCAA.WNCAA senior cage, volley finals on, http://www.wncaa.com.ph/40thseason/news_09182009.html
In February 2012, the UA&P Firestarters, the university's all-female cheerdance varsity, grabbed the WNCAA cheerdance competition gold.