Yuchengco-Ayala Education Partnership Introduces Breakthrough Experiential Global Education with Top US University

iPeople & Mapua execs introduced in a presscon the various breakthrough programs resulting from the collaboration of Mapua University with Arizona State University, who has been ranked as America’s Most Innovative University over the last 8 years. (From L-R): Dr. Dodjie Maestrecampo (President & CEO, Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna and Mapúa Malayan Colleges Mindanao), Engr. Anthony Hilmer S. Medrano (EVP & COO, Mapúa Malayan Colleges Laguna), Dr. Bonifacio T. Doma Jr. (EVP for International Alliance & Cintana Partnership Executive Director), Dr. Reynaldo B. Vea (President, Mapúa University & Chairman, iPeople), Alfredo Ayala (President, iPeople), Lorenzo V. Tan (President & CEO, House of Investments, Inc. of the Yuchengco Group of Companies), Gemma O. Cheng (Vice President & CFO of iPeople), and Justin Fabia (Country Manager for Philippines, Cintana Education).

iPeople, the publicly listed Yuchengco-Ayala education partnership, introduced today a first of its kind offering that enables Filipino students to immerse themselves in global educational experiences with top international universities and a top Philippine university, in a highly cost-effective manner. 

Last year, iPeople school Mapua University and its daughter schools Mapua Malayan Colleges Laguna and Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao, entered into a collaboration with Arizona State University (ASU), which has been ranked America’s most innovative university, ahead of Stanford and MIT, over the past 8 years. 

The collaboration is focused on Business and Health Sciences programs.  In the latest US News & World Report online program rankings, ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business ranked Top 10 in the US across 8 programs and disciplines, including the #1 spot for online bachelor’s in business programs, and ASU’s online bachelor’s program in psychology was ranked #4. 

Through this collaboration, the Mapua schools also became members of the ASU-Cintana Alliance, a global network of 15 of the most innovative higher education institutions in the Americas, Europe and Asia.   

“We are delighted to be collaborating with the Mapua schools, whom we selected as our Philippine champions, because of their long-standing reputation for innovation and academic excellence.  The recent ranking of Mapua as one of the top 4 Philippine universities, together with UP, Ateneo and LaSalle, in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, is clear evidence of the quality of a Mapuan education.” ~Chris Hill, Chief Strategy Officer, and Head of Asia Pacific at Cintana

At a press conference held in Mapua’s brand new Makati campus, the most modern in the NCR, the collaborating schools introduced several ground-breaking offerings.  

“We have long been focused on delivering the hallmarks of a Mapuan education: international, digitally enhanced, outcomes-based and research-driven. Our collaboration with global leader ASU and being part of the ASU-Cintana Alliance enable us to take these to a higher level for our students, by giving them numerous opportunities to learn with a top ranked US university, and other leading education institutions around the world.” ~Dr. Reynaldo B. Vea, President of Mapua University and Chairman of iPeople

During their time at the Mapua schools, students now have the opportunity to be immersed in international learning experiences in numerous ways. Firstly, they have access to ASU’s world-class content in all their ASU-enhanced courses. Secondly, students are able to participate in Global Signature Courses through state-of-the-art virtual Global Classrooms, which give them the opportunity to learn remotely from professors at member universities of the ASU-Cintana Alliance, and interact with classmates from around the world, without leaving the Philippines. 

“YGC has long prioritized education as one of our contributions to nation building. It is very timely that our Mapua schools are launching this very innovative and global initiative as we celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of our past Chairman, Ambassador Alfonso T. Yuchengco, who had always advocated for making quality education more affordable for Filipinos and had forged many successful partnerships with industry leaders from around the world." ~Lorenzo V. Tan, the CEO of House of Investments, the listed holding company of YGC (Yuchengco Group of Companies), and the majority shareholder of iPeople said

“This initiative will allow young people access to education that, while Philippine centered, is also global in quality and in reach. We want to help develop a generation of truly global Filipinos, because our country deserves the best the world has to offer.” ~Cezar P. Consing, the CEO of Ayala Corporation

Students can also participate in classes co-lectured by ASU faculty in the US. Lastly, students will have many opportunities to participate in dozens of student exchange and summer immersion programs at ASU-Cintana Alliance schools. 

About iPeople. iPeople, inc. (PSE:IPO) is one of the leading education groups in the country, with approximately 60,000 students. It owns 7 educational institutions which together offer quality education to students across all income segments, with campuses in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bicol, the Visayas and Mindanao. Its schools include Malayan Education System, Inc. (operating under the name of Mapua University), one of the country’s leading engineering and technical universities, and its subsidiaries, Mapua Malayan Colleges Laguna, Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao in Davao, and Malayan High School of Science in Manila. Its schools also include the University of Nueva Caceres, the oldest and largest private university in Bicol, National Teachers College, the country’s pioneer private teacher training tertiary education institution, and APEC Schools, the country’s largest chain of private stand-alone high schools in the country. Learn more about iPeople at https://hoi.com.ph/home/,  

About Mapua University. Mapua University is a top-ranked higher education institution in the world, among the top 6% of all the world’s higher educational institutions, and one of only 4 Philippine universities in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (WUR) 2023. It is also ranked #2 in research in the Philippines by THE.  It is a Quacquarelli Symonds-rated 4 Star institution and among the top 100 universities in Southeast Asia. It also won the Gold Award for Digital Readiness from the prestigious Wharton-QS Reimagine Education Awards 2022. Mapua is a comprehensive university, with almost a century of cutting-edge education, offering academically excellent programs in Engineering and Sciences, Architecture and Design, Information Technology, Business and Management, Communication and Media Studies, Liberal Arts, Health Sciences and Senior High School. Learn more about Mapua University at https://www.mapua.edu.ph/.  

About Mapua Malayan Colleges Laguna. Mapúa MCL is located in Cabuyao, Laguna, and offered its first programs in 2007. One of the best board exam performing private schools in Calabarzon, Mapúa MCL is the youngest ever school to attain CHED Autonomous Status in the country. It has also earned a 3-star overall rating from the UK-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Star Rating System, one of the world’s leading higher education rating systems. It is also the first ISO 21001:2018 - EOMS Certified School in Calabarzon. With over 6,000 students, it offers programs in Engineering, Computer Science, IT, Multimedia Arts, Business, Accountancy, Hotel & Restaurant Management, Health Sciences, as well as Senior High School. Mapúa MCL also began offering its first post-graduate degree, the Master of Science in Shipping Business in partnership with the Business College of Athens, last 2022. Learn more about Mapua Malayan Colleges Laguna at https://www.mcl.edu.ph/.

About Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao. MMCM is located in Davao City and commenced operations in 2018. With over 5,000 students, it offers programs in Business, Arts and Science, Health Ssciences, Computer and Information Science, Engineering and Architecture, Senior High School and Junior High School. In 2022, MMCM won the prestigious global Catalyst Award for Teaching and Learning for its innovative HyFlex (hybrid flexible) approach to blended learning. The award honors institutions that use learning management systems in innovative ways to advance learning, and was given by Anthology, one of the world’s leading EdTech companies. Learn more about Mapua Malayan Colleges Mindanao at https://mcm.edu.ph/  

About Arizona State University.  Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American Research University, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence, and impact. ASU has been ranked as #1 in the US for innovation for 8 consecutive years by US News and Report, the leading U.S. universities ranking system. ASU is also ranked in the Top 100 in the world for academic reputation by Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2021, and #1 Public University in the U.S. chosen by international students, according to the Institute of International Education Open Doors Report 2022. Learn more about Arizona State University at https://www.asu.edu/.  

About Cintana Education. Cintana Education enables universities around the world to increase quality and scale in order to provide more students with the education they need and deserve. Cintana provides world-class expertise and access to its own proprietary resources, as well as those of ASU, a top ranked university that shares its vision of expanding access through growth and innovation. Cintana is also building the ASU-Cintana Alliance, an international network of universities that will work together to meet the rising global demand for high quality post-secondary education. Learn more about Cintana Education at https://www.cintana.com/.