The event was organized by the Department of Modern Languages, in partnership with the UST Office of Public Affairs and in collaboration with Goethe-Institut Philippinen. Through this collaboration, the University was able to screen a film that featured an exciting and whimsical treasure hunt to life, where the main character Cleo encounters iconic personalities from the past, offering sage advice amidst the bustling streets of Berlin.

The morning kicked off with a warm welcome from the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, Prof. Melanie D. Turingan, Ph.D., who expressed gratitude to everyone in attendance for supporting the department’s cultural initiative. Following the Dean’s message, the Chair of the Department of Modern Languages, Mr. Royce Randall G. Lim, MPH, MIS, gave the opening remarks, where he highlighted the importance of diverse international films to the Thomasian community and promoting cross-cultural appreciation, as this year’s Cultural Wednesday theme focuses on European cinema.

Ms. Barbara Pauli, the Manager for Educational Cooperation of the Goethe Institut-Philippinen, provided a brief overview of the Goethe-Institut, which has played a crucial role in promoting the German language and culture globally. She also shared an engaging overview of “Cleo”, setting the stage for the film’s screening.

Adding to the overall experience of the event were the talented performers from the student volunteers who delivered entertaining song numbers. Overall, the screening of “Cleo” was met with enthusiasm, leaving the audience captivated by its compelling narrative.

Also present during the event were the Director of the UST Office of Public Affairs, Ms. Michaella O. Lagniton, M.A., Rev. Fr. Felix delos Reyes, O.P. PhL., Asst. Prof. John Manuel R. Kliatchko, Ph.D, Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, and other academic staff from the Department of Modern Languages.

The post German film takes audience down memory lane for Cultural Wednesday event appeared first on ɫ������.

The UST Department of Modern Languages held the “Concurso de canto en español” (Singing Contest in Spanish) at the UST Central Laboratory Auditorium on February 27, 2025. This Singing Contest was done in partnership with the UST Office of Public Affairs.
A celebration of artistry through Spanish songs, the event showcased the talents of 14 students from different programs. The contest began with the opening remarks of the Department of Modern Languages Chair, Mr. Royce Randall G. Lim, M.P.H., M.I.S. Contestants then gave their own rendition of Spanish songs in front of a panel of judges.
Journalism student Ma. Kristianna Fantine D. Trinidad won First Place for her performance of “Solamente Una Vez”; Slanny M. Alvarado, a Political Science student, won second place for her performance of “Sabor a mi”; and Communication Arts student Jessica I. Abe placed third for her performance of “Cielito Lindo”. The special award for Best in Pronunciation in Spanish was given to Stephen Roi Lacostales, a Political Science student, and the Audience Impact award went to Paolo Dominic G. Orijola, a History major, for his performance of “La Bamba”.
Thomasian talent was also featured through the song and dance numbers performed by various student groups during the contest’s program.
Along with the Dean of Faculty of Arts and Letters, Prof. Melanie Turingan, Ph.D., the event was honored by the presence of several distinguished guests. Among them were Consul Bryan Ang of the Honorary Consulate of Peru in Manila; Education Advisor of the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines Ms. Beatriz Jimeno; the Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines Mr. Álvaro Garcia; the Administrator of the Instituto Cervantes Manila Mr. Ignacio Urquijo and Manager of the Philippine-Italian Association & Società Dante Alighieri Manila Mr. Giunell Flores. Their collective presence made the event a truly memorable occasion, emphasizing the importance of language, culture, and international collaboration.

The contest is part of the year-long celebration of the 60th Founding Anniversary of the Faculty of Arts and Letters. More than 250 attendees were at the event and enjoyed the fantastic performances of the 14 contestants, who showcased their talents in singing in Spanish. 

The post Modern Languages Department holds Singing Contest in Spanish appeared first on ɫ������.

For the Modern Languages subject, UST was in the 301-350 bracket, scoring 61.7 in Employability and 59.2 in Academic Reputation, which is tied to Research and Discovery.

For Medicine, UST remained one of the world’s top medical schools, at the 701-850 bracket. It scored highest in citations per paper (57.8), followed by employer reputation (55.5), H-index citations (45.8), academic reputation (39.8), and international research network (35.9). Medicine has consistently been UST’s flagship program in the QS Rankings, having been ranked since before the pandemic.

The post UST figures in Modern Languages, Medicine QS subject rankings for 2025 appeared first on ɫ������.

            The Department of Modern Languages, headed by Mr. Royce Randall G. Lim, M.P.H., M.I.S., was joined by the Faculty of Arts and Letters Regent Rev. Fr. George Phe Mang, O.P., Dean Prof. Melanie D. Turingan, Ph.D., who delivered the opening remarks, and UST Office of Public Affairs Director Ms. Michaella O. Lagniton, M.A.

The audience was serenaded by the amazing performances of AB students Emalei Pullis and Kennaniah San Juan with their beautiful singing of “Bien Canijo,” “Hasta la raíz,” and “Soledad y el mar,” as well as Clarence Miguel Torres and his band “The Great Pretenders” for their rendition of “Besame mucho” and “�䲹����ñ��.”

English Language Studies student Grace Nakubiana Simasiku won First Place for her performance of “Mal de ausencia” by Luis Alberto de Cuenca.

Jozef Benedict Padilla from CICS, who recited Pablo Neruda’s “Soneto XVII” was in Second Place, and Legal Management student Precious Joy Madlangbayan placed third for her recital of “Volverán las oscuras golondrinas” by Gustavo Adolfo Bécquer.

The event celebrated the art of Spanish poetry at the TARC Auditorium with the participants, invited guests, students, and faculty members of the Department of Modern Languages.

            The contest is part of the year-long celebration of the 60^th Founding Anniversary of the Faculty of Arts and Letters. More than 200 attendees were at the event and enjoyed the fantastic performances of the 27 contestants, who showcased their talents in reciting and interpreting different Spanish poems by famous poets in the Hispanic world.

The post Modern Languages Department holds first Spanish Poetry Recital Contest appeared first on ɫ������.

Also present in the meeting were Assistant Dean Dr. Melanie Turingan, Faculty Secretary Asst. Prof. Ma. Zenia Rodriguez, Coordinator for International Relations and Programs Asst. Prof. Michelle Desierto, and academic staff from the Department of Modern Languages Mr. Royce Randall Lim, Mr. Brian Erick Benbinuto, and Ms. Ruth Torres.

The following likewise attended the meeting via Zoom: Department of Modern Languages Chair Asst Prof. Abigail Pagalilauan, with academic staff Fr. Nestor Abog, Ms. Jana Isabela Hayao, and Mr. Dennis Maturan.

Ferrán acknowledged the necessity for Spanish courses in the College of Education and in the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management, with the possibility of an internship in Spain. He also considered offering Spanish classes to high school students at UST.

Pagalilauan also discussed the Language Assistantship Program in Spain, which many Thomasian students and graduates have joined. She said that the participants are hoping to renew their contracts with their respective language centers in Spain. Ferrán believes that participants in the Language Assistantship Program should have a basic knowledge of Spanish (at least A1 level).

The DELE (Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera or Diploma of Spanish as a Foreign Language) requirement for prospective language assistants will be implemented starting 2024-2025. For them to participate in the Language Assistantship Program, the participants need to have at least a DELE A1 diploma. DELE is a Spanish proficiency exam with six different levels ranging from A1 to C2 based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), which are learning, teaching, and assessment.

Discussion on collaboration included giving opportunities for Spanish teachers in UST to participate in the language assistantship program and the free webinars organized by the Ministerio de Educación de España (Spanish Ministry of Education), promotion of the immersion program in the College of Education and in AB for History majors as part of coming up with creative ways to promote Spanish to Thomasian students. There was also a discussion about a possible partnership with Universidad de Alcalá.
The meeting concluded with the formal signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the ɫ������ and the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of the Government of Spain, as represented by Mr. David Ferrán.

The objectives of the said MOU were to contribute to the promotion and development of the teaching of the Spanish language and culture in the Philippine education system, and the English language and culture in Spain; promote the relations between the citizens of the Philippines and those of Spain, enhancing the understanding and the appreciation of the shared culture by both communities; provide students and alumni with a multicultural and international experience which will prepare them for their future success personally, academically, and professionally; and to facilitate opportunities of professional development and academic exchange of the students, teachers, and professionals of education and the development of joint activities.

Exploring joint ventures with Thammasat University

Along similar lines, administrators and professors from the Faculty of Liberal Arts in Thammasat University visited the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the ɫ������ to explore possible academic collaborations in the fields of modern languages, history, and Asian studies. This marks the beginning of a productive partnership that will improve the academic ties between the two institutions.
The visit was made possible as a result of the nomination of the Faculty of Liberal Arts in Thammasat University to receive a donation from Senator Loren Legarda in order to execute the Philippine Studies Program in Thailand. This allows them to initiate activities including academic exchanges, lecture series, research grants, enhancement of the Filipiniana collection, and other projects relating to the history, cultures, and society of the Philippines.

During the meeting, the participants discussed the most important aspects of their academic partnership, which include student exchange between the two institutions, research collaboration, organizing a short summer course (including Filipino language, Spanish language, and other aspects of culture), academic talks, and visiting scholars.

The post UST AB inks MoU with Spanish Embassy languages advisors, explores partnership with Thammasat University appeared first on ɫ������.

Dr. Sampson Blair of the State University of New York – Buffalo will teach in the Sociology program, and give academic lectures to the faculty and students of Sociology.  Blair is an Associate Professor of Sociology at SUNY-Buffalo and earned his PhD at the Pennsylvania State University. Currently, he is the editor of Contemporary Perspectives in Family Research, and the Vice President for North America of the Research Committee on Youth, International Sociological Association.

At the Department of English, Ramon Mislang will be the assigned Virtual English Language Fellow (VELF) at the ɫ������. The US State Department assigned Mislang as a VELF at UST.   

Mislang, who is based in California, holds a master’s degree Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and a BA in Japanese Language and Literature, which he earned at the San Francisco State University in San Francisco, California. His teaching experience covers a wide range of courses he handled as a British Council English instructor as well as a Fulbright ETA in the US, Japan, China, Hong Kong. This year, he will handle specialization courses for students in the BA English Language Studies program.

Visiting Lecturer Marta Ruiz Sánchez will teach Spanish courses under the Department of Modern Languages.  Sánchez holds a master’s degree in Teaching Spanish from the Universidad Internacional dela Rioja in Logroño, Spain, and another master’s degree in Teaching in Secondary Education from the Universidad de Granada.

The Faculty of Arts and Letters has a long-standing partnership with the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID) for academic exchanges.

The post Three Visiting Professors to teach in Arts & Letters appeared first on ɫ������.