We are celeberating the 97th Founding Anniversary, and as I reflect, a couple of things come to mind.
Number one, anniversaries are like birthdays. Sometimes they are celebrative, and sometimes, it is a very normal type of occasion brought about by tradition. In my case, I don't like to be reminded that I am one year wiser.
For companies, institutions, universities like FEU, it is actually quite impressive. When I look back, I look back in awe. First of all, not many companies are able to reach 100 years. Certainly, we are not the only ones, but It's quite impressive. And I think it's a reflection of the many good things that companies do.
My other reflection is that we are not creeping toward 100 for the sake of hitting 100 years.
I would like to say that we are charging to 100. Continous improvement is our motto. We never accept where we are; we always like to improve.
Recently, [I am] very happy and all of you know we got our AUN Institutional Accreditation.
We have improved in our QS ranking. We are autonomous, together with FIT. President Ritchie also is running an autonomous school [FEU NRMF]. We have our WURI recognitions.
I would also like to say that we were sustainable before sustainable became fashionable.
I've been asked by others, "How did you go down that path?”. And I guess it's a very simple thing—we don't like waste. We generally don't like waste, so we try to be as efficient as possible.
We're now a network of schools. While this is the heritage school, we’re now a network of schools. We are 60,000 strong. We have 13 campuses. Two buildings under construction, one in Alabang and one in Rodriguez—FEU Roosevelt Rodriguez. Non-stop renovation as you as you see here on campus, but also in our other campuses. We work with equally-minded partners in four places.
We are extremely proud of our faculty development. I'm not just speaking about training, pedagogy, which is more important now and I will go into later on. We are in this very fast-changing world. We also commit and support those who would like to do further studies, be it master’s or PhDs.
We're also especially proud of the assistance that we're able to provide our students.
Our mission is to ensure that everyone's program aspirations are fulfilled. We accept students from various educational backgrounds. We provide financial assistance when needed. And all of these-- our commitments.
In spite of our size, we try to have, and this was coined recently in our last strategic meeting only last week, we try to have bespoke education at scale. Very contradicting things—bespoke is for a few, customized; but we are a larger institution.
These are the things that we try and do. Which, as I said, when I reflect on, I'm actually quite amazed.
Now my second reflection is that anniversaries tend to be a celebration of reaching a milestone, of accomplishments some of which I have said. But for me, it's not really about the past, but it is also a celebration about the future.
I intimated earlier that we just had our strategic planning session. Well, first of all the planning session is to fine tune, maybe not even fine tune, but to do new and innovative things going into our 2028. But I would like to emphasize as I earlier said, even beyond 2028.
We had a wonderful guest, she's the CEO of Accenture, Ambe Tierro. What struck me were her words that many times Accenture is looked at as a tech company, definitely; a business processing services company, which they don't like to really be known for. What she said was, "We are a reinvention company.” Her context was things are moving and changing very, very, very quickly.
AI is disruptive. The generational changes-- all of you young ones. Every year I get much further away from you because you come in, you're all the same age.
Generation alpha, and there are many definitions born 2010 to 2025. But anyway, the first batch will be graduating 2028 onwards, will basically be raised in an AI driven hyper digital post pandemic world. So basically tech native but the generation Z also has short attention span, hyperconnected, diversive, and inclusive mindset sustainability conscious.
We also have the Gen. Z - 1997 to 2012, graduating now up to about 2027. Key traits are independent learners, mental health awareness, gate economic-friendly and financially cautious.
Why do I take the time to [tell this?] -- you probably know that already too. One third or half the audience here is. I don't need to say, but essentially you know, the bottom line is the next generation of graduates will be AI native, entrepreneurial, highly adaptable, expecting personalized education and flexible careers. So very different. The point being what we did before successfully will not take us into the next 100 years.
We need to pivot, and we need to pivot together. Skills are required versus maybe outright degrees. Is that bad for a school because our business is giving, our mission is giving degrees? I don't think so. Sometimes on top of degrees, upscaling would be needed simply because the job requirements are requiring such.
In that strategic meeting, when I say we-- managers and the board of trustees-- we're all very enthused with the new ideas coming from the group and the actions will -- the mission remains the same -- that of uplifting Filipinos and the Philippines. He [Dr. Nicanor Reyes, Sr.] coined that at the point when he founded the university. And our actions will be all about fulfilling them.
Now, FEU’s success today.
We feel that we are very well positioned. Its success today is all about everyone who has contributed from the very beginning. Its managers, faculty and administrative employees.
FEU is what it is today because of everyone's contribution overtime, because time the needs of certain times are different from future times and the skills as well of those who have been working with us.
I would like to really commend everyone for bringing a few to a few years short of 100, but I am sure. we will get there. I encourage everyone to look even beyond our centennial year, which is an incredible milestone.
And I would like to add, it is also about being brave.
When things can change. Sometimes one has to be outside comfort zones. Sometimes one has to be outside norm. Sometimes the way we used to teach, we need to validate.
All the good parts, we retain things that we need to do. Because things change.
There are many destructive forces we need to adapt and deploy.
And I would like to say, being brave is what my mom did 36 years ago. She came in with a mission in mind and she has certainly accomplished it.
Today, we celebrate our success and also our commitment.
Together, for the future. Onward FEU.
Juan Miguel R. Montinola
President
*February 10, 2025
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