PCCI, universities to promote PH as global education hub

The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the country’s largest business organization, said yesterday that Philippine colleges and universities are looking forward to improving their global competitiveness to attract talented foreign students to enroll in college- and graduate-degree courses here.

An initial reform that would promote the Philippines as a higher education hub was lifting the regulatory and legal impediments that discourage many foreign students from enrolling here, according to PCCI President George T. Barcelon.

During consultations with heads of higher education institutions (HEIs) earlier this month, Barcelon said that the factors that make Malaysia and Singapore as global and ASEA education destinations are available here.

PCCI, through its PCCI Human Resources Development Foundation (PCCI HRDF), organized the consultations to kick-start the creation of an “Education Services Sector Export Road Map.”

A technical working group will be formed by the PCCI HRDF, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and higher education institutions to help draw the road map.

Dr. Christopher Stevens, a senior researcher of ODI London, was the short-term expert commissioned by the PCCI HRDF to present a study, Towards a Philippine Education Service Sector Export Roadmap.

The road map summarized the exports development strategy that identified the goals, challenges, and action required for government, educators and business to enhance the competitiveness of the Philippines as a global provider of higher education. The road map would create a market of $1 billion as annual revenues.

Barcelon said that factors considered by foreign students for studying overseas such as English instructions, qualifications recognized in their desired work countries, quality faculties and facilities, and low costs of living are already here.

Among the initial reforms required to encourage these students to enroll include the easing of immigration rules. These were cited by representatives of major universities and colleges at the consultations.

Because most foreign students want to take up medicine, engineering, accountancy and other long-term degree courses, duration of student visas for college- or graduate-degree courses should be as long as normally needed to graduate, the HEIs representatives said.

Student visas are shortterm visas. Foreign students with expiring visas are required to also show up in person at the Bureau of Immigration to apply for an extension.

Meanwhile, foreign students applying for initial student visas are required by the Department of Foreign Affairs to personally file their applications at the consular office in their home countries.

Also, HEI representatives said it takes several months before CHED, the Bureau of Immigration and the DFA could complete the process of verifying documents filed by foreign students supporting their applications for visas.

The stakeholders who attended the consultations also raised the issue of conflict with the ownership provisions of the Constitution which limit ownership by foreigners to no more than 40 percent.

HEIs also sought autonomy to design their courses after they have complied with the minimum requirements of CHED.

They also sought support from CHED for delivering courses online.