Manila:The Philippines is looking to enhance its transnational education strategy by using the United Kingdom's education framework as a benchmark, aiming to benefit both the country and the wider Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.

According to Philippines News Agency, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) made this announcement following a closed-door meeting with international education leaders during the UK-ASEAN higher education week, themed 'Advancing ASEAN-UK collaboration in higher education.'

CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis emphasized the importance of benchmarking to align quality assurance and recognize academic credits. The initiative aims to ensure the acceptance and recognition of academic credits between the UK, the Philippines, and ASEAN. Agrupis highlighted the need for reciprocal recognition of academic credits to facilitate mutual benefits.

The CHED has identified priority areas for program alignment, including health, agriculture and fisheries, digital transformation, and digital literacy and education. The partnership is intended to enhance student and faculty mobility and foster research collaboration. Currently, CHED is expanding its transnational education partnerships and aims to increase advanced degrees in priority programs.

With support from the British Council, CHED plans to launch the Philippine Transnational Higher Education (TNHE) Strategy. UK Mission to ASEAN Ambassador Helen Fazey expressed ongoing support for long-term collaboration with ASEAN, focusing on mutual benefits and addressing emerging trends in technology.

In a related development, CHED is expediting preparations for the launch of Education Philippines (EduPhil), an online platform to streamline student visa processing for foreign students. EduPhil aims to strengthen EduTourism by reducing visa processing times. The platform will provide a one-stop digital service for foreign students, integrating various government agencies' processes.

CHED is set to consult with the Education Malaysia Global Service to learn from their platform model, ensuring a smooth launch for EduPhil. The EduPhil Task Force, led by CHED, is finalizing the program's implementing rules and regulations, with a 120-day timeline to complete the guidelines. Partner agencies include the Department of Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Immigration, and Department of Information and Communications Technology.