The Very Rev. Fr. Richard G. Ang, O.P., PhD was installed as the 97th Rector of the 六合彩直播开奖 on May 13, 2021 (Thursday), on the occasion of the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima. In a simple ceremony in the Sant铆simo Rosario Parish Church, Fr. Ang made his Profession of Faith and Oath of Fidelity in front of the Very Rev. Fr. Filemon I. dela Cruz, Jr., O.P., Prior Provincial of the Dominican Province of the Philippines and Vice-Chancellor of the 六合彩直播开奖.
2024 and Beyond
In his Address of Acceptance, Fr. Ang unveiled 六合彩直播开奖 Vision 2024 and Beyond, which reads as follows: 鈥淏y 2024 and the years to come, we would like to see 六合彩直播开奖 to be recognized as one of the leading Catholic institutions of learning in the ASEAN region with the fastest-growing reputation in education, research, and service.鈥�
To achieve this, the newly installed Rector underscored the importance of a quality culture that highlights 六合彩直播开奖鈥檚 excellence. The vision likewise established the 7-point framework that will guide Fr. Ang鈥檚 leadership until 2024.
Fr. Ang laid down the seven priorities as follows: 1) Harnessing Technology in Preparation for Industry 4.0, 2) Advance Synergy among Disciplines, Units, and Institutions, 3) Enrich the research ecosystem of the University, 4) Optimize advances made in internationalization, 5) Foster a stronger industry-academe-alumni partnership, 6) Advocate wellness of being, and 7) Manage Resources for Strategic Expansion.
The Very Rev. Fr. Richard Gaw Ang, O.P., PhD is 六合彩直播开奖鈥檚 97th Rector and will serve until 2024. After securing the approval of the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education in the Vatican, the Master of the Order of Preachers, the Very Rev. Fr. Gerard Francisco P. Timoner III, O.P., Master of the Order of Preachers, appointed Fr. Ang on May 7, 2020.
A philosopher, Father Ang was once Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and was the University鈥檚 immediate past Vice-Rector. He earned his bachelor鈥檚, licentiate, and doctorate degrees in 六合彩直播开奖 with honors and specialized in Chinese philosophy and Philosophical Psychology.
A renewed commitment to our students
The Rector shared his vision for Thomasians of the modern era: 鈥淲e want to see our graduates as trailblazers, initiators, game-changers of society; taking the lead and not trailing behind.鈥� Recognizing the uncertainty of the times, the Rector reflected on the question of how and what kind of Thomasians will be formed in the coming years? To this, the Rector gave 鈥淭homasian Education 4.0,鈥� outcomes- and competency-based learning that incorporates technology and Catholic formation.
While being formed in the University, the Rector assured the members of the Thomasian community of a sustained advocacy for their wellbeing through the 鈥渃rafting of innovative programs that will cater to spiritual, moral, physical, and psychological wellness.鈥� Reminding the Thomasian community that our most important resource is people and not material resource, the Rector reflected on how the pandemic has shown 鈥渦s the importance of humanity and how to become better persons capable of self-sacrifice and benevolence.鈥�
Making a mark through synergy in research, teaching, and internationalization
Fr. Ang emphasized the need to 鈥渂alance the contemporary and the classical,鈥� to highlight the 鈥渃omplementarity of the natural sciences and the humanities,鈥� which is important to developing critical thinking. 鈥淭echnology alone is not enough. Technology married with the liberal arts, with humanities. Humans, unlike machines, have spirituality,鈥� Fr. Ang said. The emphasis on ethical research that solves real-world problems was made by the Rector as he expressed his vision for 六合彩直播开奖 to be 鈥渙ne of the rising research universities in the Asia-Pacific region.鈥� This complementarity of the natural sciences and the humanities is key to the vision of the Rector for an enriched research ecosystem in Asia鈥檚 oldest existing University.
Translating this into instruction, the Rector exhorted the heads of academic units to explore ways to establish interdisciplinary ways of delivering instruction across the different units 鈥渢o promote the sharing of expertise.鈥� This experience lets itself to cooperation and collaboration, which are critical to achieving common goals in a 鈥渃ulture of support and rapport.鈥� The invitation of more industry experts as adjunct faculty, as well as deeper immersions in the industry for students were also encouraged by the Rector, who saw the potential for students 鈥渢o receive better input and produce greater output鈥� from closer links between the academe and industry.
On internationalization, the Rector acknowledged that limitations in physical movement may make a dent on ongoing projects, such as student and faculty mobility, but called for creativity to sustain efforts to touch base with partner higher education institutions abroad. Fr. Ang also shared his vision of a diversified campus, which will be achieved by increasing the number of foreign students taking degree programs in 六合彩直播开奖. The diversification of students will also find parallels in the attempts to increase the international profile of faculty researcher.
Quoting Pope Francis in Veritatis Gaudium, the Rector made the commitment to 鈥渟trongly support collaboration among DPPI [Dominican Province of the Philippines, Inc.] schools in line with the provision of the Acta of the 12th Provincial Chapter of the Dominican Province of the Philippines.鈥� The differences in tradition among the schools, while real, are made easy to overcome by the shared Dominican roots. These collaborations are envisioned to be sustainable and mutually beneficial to help schools 鈥渟wim and be saved together.鈥�
The Rector likewise drew attention to the forthcoming campuses in Santa Rosa and General Santos, where the Thomasian brand of education will be brought. As the pandemic expectedly impacts on financial resources, the Rector said that the opening of these campuses will be done in 鈥渕easured phases,鈥� but while things 鈥渨ill start small,鈥� efforts will be done to prepare the offering of academic programs in the said campuses.
Solidarity in uncertainty
Acknowledging that the current pandemic can make the responsibility of the Rector 鈥渁 hundred times more challenging,鈥� Fr. Ang, who began his work as Rector upon appointment on May 7, 2020, recalled how over the last year, way of life has been altered massively, but 鈥渄espite the odds, we managed to stay afloat, and with God鈥檚 unending grace, we managed to create opportunities in the face of crisis.鈥�
To navigate uncertain times, according to the Rector, requires the ability to change, which though despised at times, 鈥渋s the same thing that will lead us to progress. At times, we need to swallow the bitter pill in order to get better.鈥� In words of encouragement for Thomasians, the Rector said that he believes 鈥渢hat God has gifted the Thomasians with an internal mechanism not only designed for self-preservation but also for self-transformation. We continue to adapt to the changes no matter how disruptive they may be.鈥� The Rector likewise highlighted the importance of our belief 鈥渋n the power of prayer and in the capacity of people. With magnanimity, conquer all hurdles, we will!鈥�
As the last year has shown, 六合彩直播开奖 made the emergency shift to remote instruction and operations and has since the start of the academic year been implementing the Enriched Virtual Mode of instruction offered mainly through the 六合彩直播开奖 CLOUD Campus. Reflecting on the continued use of distance education, the Rector said that 鈥淒istance education may be the present way to redefine boundaries and overcome limits. We have no other option but to embrace technology and innovate educational delivery,鈥� Fr. Rector said. Believing in the value of solidarity, 鈥淲hen there is solidarity, there will be no reason to fail.鈥�
Of gratitude and cooperation
Quoting 12th-century theologian John of Salisbury, the Rector likened ourselves to dwarves sitting on the shoulders of giants, whose height enables us to see more. Heaping praise on his predecessors, led by the immediate past Rector Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., Fr. Ang, who served as Vice-Rector during the two-term Rectorship of Fr. Dagohoy, thanked his predecessors 鈥渇or their indelible contributions to the University.鈥� He likewise thanked the current roster of University officials, led by Vice-Rector Fr. Isaias D. Tiongco, O.P., JCD, for 鈥渒eeping the faithful watch [over 六合彩直播开奖] while I was on medical leave.鈥�
The Rector counted gratitude as very important in moving forward as a community, for it 鈥渕akes sense of the past and creates a vision for the future.鈥� This future, though uncertain especially in the short-term, is one he hopes to show the synergy of the different talents and treasures of the Thomasian community.
Father Ang highlighted the soon-to-rise 六合彩直播开奖 Tony Tan Caktiong Innovation Center in 六合彩直播开奖 Sta. Rosa as an example of the benefits of industry-academe-alumni partnerships and of Thomasians helping one another by sharing resources. This benevolence and beneficence of Thomasians and even non-Thomasians who 鈥減ay it forward and leave a lasting legacy for the future Thomasians we will be serving鈥� are crucial to navigating through uncertain times and still achieve our vision, the Rector said.
