(As released) Makati-based school iACADEMY has recently won an international award from the UK-based publications company Global Brands along with other top-tier schools, including Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Nanyang Technological University.
Recognized as the Most Innovative Education Provider, iACADEMY has bagged the award against other international schools across the world and became the only Philippine school to get a distinction from the international award-giving body.
For seven years, the Global Brands, a leading brand publications company, has been conducting the prestigious Global Brand Awards which is being participated by international brands across the world.
Vanessa Tanco, iACADEMY’s president and CEO, shared that this recent recognition for the school is a testament to the dedication, hard work and commitment of the whole iACADEMY community.
“This award is a concerted effort of everyone who have been part of our efforts and initiatives that make our school truly game-changing. We thank each and every one who have pushed us to work harder and better to provide only the quality education for our students through the use of modern technology and innovation,” Tanco said.
Founded in 2002, iACADEMY has pioneered specialized programs that are technology-focused, innovative and industry-relevant. Its programs in computing, business and design were developed to address the mismatch between graduates of academic institutions and the actual needs of the industry.
At the onset of the pandemic, the school has strived to prepare and adapt to the challenges of flexible remote learning, and immediately implemented its Guided Online Autonomous Learning (GOAL).
Along with the implementation of its online classes, the school also executed out-of-the box teaching strategies and innovative learning materials to make learning more interactive for its students. These include the Green Screen Technology that simulates onsite learning and allows professors to be creative in delivering their classes via online platforms.
Recently, iACADEMY partnered with Coursera, the world’s no.1 platform for online learning, to provide its students free access to over 3,800 cutting-edge courses, taught by instructions from over 200 leading universities and companies like Stanford University, Imperial College London, Google, IBM and Unity.
Aside from its partnership with Coursera, the school has also been chosen by the Alibaba Business School to implement the Alibaba Global Digital Talent Program that aims to promote an inclusive digital economy by informing and enabling students about the potential of digital platforms in transforming lives through theoretical teaching and output-based learning. This program will soon be injected in their business courses.
During the nationwide lockdown, the school managed to provide part-time work from home gigs for its students in collaboration with their partner companies that allows its students to earn some extra money while stuck at home.
For its incoming students, iACADEMY offered free online workshops on topics, including animation, app development, fashion design, among others.
Series of webinars were spearheaded that not only catered to its current students but also to parents to brief them about flexible remote learning, and ensure mental health support for students during a pandemic through its free online medical and guidance counseling.
As a service to community, iACADEMY developed MAZE, the Philippines’ first social distancing app that helps users plan their errands by reporting an area’s crowd density.
Aside from this momentous effort, the school has been selfless to share its expertise in software engineering and development by partnering with the Department of Tourism in making an augmented reality application that houses a treasure chest of visuals and information about Intramuros, the famed walled city of Manila. This technology can be used to promote sustainable tourism and boost the Philippines’ tourism efforts.
“Over the years, we are proud to say that we have ‘walked the talk’ and we continue to help our students, parents, and the community in any way we can by sharing what we do best. This recognition as the Most Innovative Education Provider will further inspire us to be more, to do more,” Tanco said.