The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) approved a transnational higher education (TNHE) partnership between the University of Santo Tomas (UST) and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), which will offer a dual-degree program that enables students to earn two degrees—the BA (Hons) in Design (Product Design) from PolyU and the Bachelor of Fine Arts, Major in Industrial Design from UST—all within four years.
The CHED’s approval of this program was done in accordance with Republic Act No. 11448 (Transnational Higher Education Act) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.
“The creative industry is one of the major sectors that the President has instructed us to develop. Hence, we encourage our HEIs to collaborate with local and international institutions to build a world-class workforce in the creative industry. I commend UST for responding to the calls of the government,” CHED Secretary Prof. J. Prospero De Vera, III, Ph.D. shared in a social media post on March 28.
“By embracing transnational education, this joint program with PolyU empowers our students to become globally competitive designers,” said UST Rector Very Rev. Fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., Ph.D., who signed the agreement on March 15, adding that “It connects them with international experts, cutting-edge resources, and real-world industry collaborations, giving them a powerful edge in the creative sector.”
With this partnership, students will gain exposure to PolyU’s cutting-edge curriculum, robust research initiatives, industry-driven projects, and international design networks. . Graduates will be equipped with international perspectives, cross-cultural competencies, and hands-on experience that set them apart in the competitive design landscape.
Students under this joint program will finish the first two academic years of schooling in UST, with the final two years being completed in PolyU. The agreement allows UST to nominate a maximum of five students of good academic performance to PolyU, where they must complete graduation requirements to earn the dual degree. PolyU evaluated UST’s curriculum for the first two years and found the courses to be comparable and sufficient for credit transfer to HKPU’s Honors Program, preparing them for the completion of other courses required for graduation. At the end of the program, graduates will receive diplomas from both UST and Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
Third-year students from the UST College of Fine Arts and Design, Major in Industrial Design Program, Beatrice P. Rodriguez and Kristine Marie C. Faelnar are the pioneer batch of students in this dual degree program, enjoying full scholarships from PolyU to finish the last two years in the program.
Ranked 57th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings and 84th in the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, PolyU is a global leader in design education. Its School of Design has been shaping creative minds since 1964, consistently ranking among the world’s best for Art and Design.
The UST-PolyU program joins a growing list of CHED-approved transnational education initiatives, such as Far Eastern University & Jerudong Park Medical Centre (Brunei): BS Nursing and Science Foundation program. The Asian Institute of Management & University of Houston: Double degree in Data Science & Business Administration, the Mapúa University & Arizona State University’s TNHE programs across various disciplines. #
