UP Cebu to launch art and design master’s program at SRP Campus

CEBU, Philippines - The University of the Philippines Cebu will be offering an international master’s course at its campus donated at the South Road Properties (SRP) in the coming school year.

UP Cebu Chancellor Liza Corro re-echoed the pronouncement of Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña on the introduction of Master of Arts in Applied Arts and Design (MAAAD) in the university in collaboration with a multi-awarded academic institution in Taiwan, Shu-Te University (STU).

“If they want to have an international master’s degree, this is the way to do it. They are just going to spend P234,000 for the whole degree but they don’t need to spend for their accommodation, airfare because it’s only here in Cebu,” Corro told The FREEMAN in an interview.

The new program is the first of its kind to be offered in the UP system.

Corro said the collaboration between the two universities is expected to bring together two cultures who are working for excellence in art and design, adding that UP Cebu wants to help out the capacity building of the Filipinos by providing them the knowledge through this master’s degree.

The degree program will be launched on February 20, days prior to the celebration of Charter Day Celebration on the 24th of the month. Mayor Tomas Osmeña, UP Cebu Chancellor Liza Corro, UP President Danilo Concepcion and some dignitaries from the Taiwanese Embassy and Shu-Te University will be present during the launch.

Osmeña, on his official Facebook account, said Cebuanos can pursue a higher education as a new international master’s degree program will be offered at UP Cebu.

“This is a great opportunity for Cebuanos interested in working abroad. Nothing beats an education from an institution recognized by the company you want to work for. They will be sending their own professors to us, so the education will be exactly what is available abroad,” read the Facebook post.

Osmeña said the city government facilitated the program between UP Cebu and Shu-Te. He added he will further discuss the matter during the city’s celebration of Charter Day next week.

Dr. Jocelyn Pinzon, acting Dean of UP’s College of Communication, Art, and Design, said MAAAD is a 36-unit program that can be finished in four semesters.

She said UP Cebu is honored to host the program which was designed by STU, which had been given recognition in the iF Design Award in 2008 and the Red Dot Award in 2015.

She said the degree program will be available during the opening of classes this August 17 at UP Cebu at SRP.

“The core courses such as Interdisciplinary Design Topic, Design Seminar, Thesis, among others, will be handled by STU in UP Cebu Campus, while elective courses will be handled by faculty from both STU and UP Cebu. The diploma will be issued by Shu-Te University. The highlight of the program is the students travel to Shu-Te University in Kaohsiung, Taiwan for the thesis defense and graduation,” she said.

Pinzon said a minimum of three professors from Shu-Te will be coming to Cebu to teach the main course of the degree program.

“We are targeting the creative industry kay this is the program as it is called… dako kaayo og bearing. Hopefully, mo-damgo man gud ta. Ang goal is not just for UP Cebu but it will rebound to the community nga naa ta’y internationally-informed artists and designers nga gikan sa duha ka kultura ang nag-collaborate,” she said. —/JBB (FREEMAN)