Internationalization at Asia Pacific College
APC Internationalization Strategy 2024-2029
Asia Pacific College’s Internationalization Strategy 2024–2029 aims to strengthen the institution’s academic excellence by cultivating meaningful global partnerships. Through these collaborations, APC integrates international best practices, advances research productivity, and enriches the learning environment with diverse intercultural perspectives, ensuring that every member of the academic community is equipped to thrive in a rapidly globalizing world.
Over the next five years, APC will focus on expanding transnational education (TNE) initiatives, particularly in research collaborations and academic exchange programs. These efforts will open pathways for students, faculty, and staff to engage in international programs including – but not limited to – language programs, collaborative online international learning (COIL), microcredentials, and cross-border training opportunities. This will bridge classroom learning with real-world global experiences.
This strategy aligns with national goals to enhance Filipino talent and global competitiveness, contributing to a more innovative and resilient Philippine economy. By integrating global standards into its programs and practices, APC continues to elevate its academic quality, visibility, and impact, nurturing a community that learns, grows, and leads beyond borders.
Academic Programs
Internationalization of APC's academic programs focuses on infusing the curriculum with global content and perspectives. This is primarily achieved by offering language and culture programs, such as Spanish, Korean, and Chinese martial arts, in partnership with international partners. The model also emphasizes industry-recognized microcredentials, which are often taught by international instructors to expose students to global standards. Finally, APC has adopted OpenLearning to enhance its distance learning capabilities and provide flexible access to its courses.
Scholarly Activities
This involves collaborating with academic and industry partners to foster an internationalized environment on campus. APC hosts industry locators, like the Microsoft Laboratory, which allows students and faculty to use industry-standard tools and practices. The college also engages in capacity development, partnering with institutions like the University of Adelaide and Swinburne University to train faculty and other professionals in high-demand areas like data analytics and AI. Furthermore, APC hosts international conferences, such as the SAP University Alliance event in July 2025, to bring industry and academe together.
Student and Faculty Mobility
Exchange at APC involves the students and faculty visiting partner institutions for academic and professional growth. For students, APC is arranging short- and long-term exchange programs that include lectures, industry exposure, and internships with partners like Sunway University and Sheridan College. For faculty, mobility is seen as crucial for benchmarking; staff have visited institutions in Australia and China to enhance curriculum and teaching practices. Future exchanges are also planned to support new program mobility arrangements.
Program Mobility
Program mobility is a transnational education strategy to expand APC's offerings by partnering with international institutions to offer new academic programs. This model includes academic franchising, where APC offers certificate or diploma programs from partners like Alana Kaye College and Swinburne University. It also involves twinning arrangements, primarily for graduate students, allowing them to complete their first year at APC and their second year at a partner HEI abroad. Finally, program articulation provides a clear pathway for students who complete these franchised programs to continue at the partner institution to earn a full bachelor's or master's degree.
Institutional Mobility
This model involves APC working with an international partner to establish a presence in the Philippines. An example is a "managed campus" partnership with the Education Center of Australia (ECA). Under this arrangement, APC and ECA would jointly set up and manage an entity. APC would provide the teaching and academic services for its courses, while ECA would manage the campus and integrate programs from its other international HEI partners. This model provides students access to international qualifications from multiple institutions without the significant financial investment of moving abroad.
Internationalization and Transnational Higher Education in the Philippines
The Philippine higher education landscape is increasingly shaped by a national commitment to global engagement. The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) envisions internationalization as a means to enhance academic quality, develop globally competitive graduates, and foster innovation through collaboration with higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide. This strategic direction seeks to position the Philippines as a hub for transnational higher education in Asia: one that produces skilled, adaptable, and globally aware professionals contributing to the country’s sustainable development.
Republic Act No. 11448: Transnational Higher Education Act (2019)
Republic Act No. 11448 institutionalizes the framework for Transnational Higher Education (TNE) in the Philippines, enabling foreign and local higher education institutions to collaborate through joint degrees, twinning arrangements, and other cross-border academic partnerships. The law aims to make quality international education accessible to Filipinos within the country, while ensuring that foreign programs align with national development priorities and academic standards. By creating a clear regulatory environment for TNE, RA 11448 supports academic mobility, capacity building, and the global competitiveness of Philippine higher education.
CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 55, s. 2016: Policy Framework and Strategies on the Internationalization of Philippine Higher Education
CMO 55 articulates the national framework for internationalization as a key quality assurance mechanism in higher education. It promotes the integration of international,
intercultural, and global dimensions into the teaching, research, and service functions of HEIs. The policy emphasizes partnerships, mobility, benchmarking, and curriculum enhancement as pathways toward a globally competent academic community. Through this CMO, CHED encourages institutions to build sustainable linkages, participate in global networks, and strengthen governance systems that support international engagement.
CHED Memorandum Order (CMO) No. 62, s. 2016: Policies, Standards, and Guidelines on Transnational Education
CMO 62 provides the operational guidelines for the implementation of transnational higher education in the Philippines. It defines the types of TNE arrangements permitted under Philippine law and establishes quality assurance standards to safeguard academic integrity. The policy ensures that foreign education provision in the Philippines complements national goals, promotes mutual recognition of qualifications, and fosters institutional collaboration grounded in academic excellence and shared accountability.
Together, these policies form a coherent national strategy that empowers Philippine higher education institutions to participate meaningfully in the global academic community. They reflect the country’s aspiration to not only send Filipino learners abroad but also bring world-class learning opportunities to the Philippines by bridging global perspectives with local relevance and ensuring that internationalization contributes directly to national growth and competitiveness.
