THE Mabalacat City College (MCC) has been shortlisted by the UK-based Times Higher Education (THE) Awards Asia for 2021 as the only educational institution in the Philippines recognized for outstanding institutional work amid the pandemic.
THE Awards Asia offers a major international platform to recognize outstanding leadership and institutional performance, and celebrate the continent’s higher education excellence in all of its diversity.
This year, the organization is “particularly looking forward to shining a spotlight on Asian higher education’s brilliant response to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Based on the official release from THE dated June 2, 2021, the MCC is gunning for two awards under the categories Outstanding Support for Students Award and Technological/Digital Innovation of the Year.
Other pillar categories in the competition include Excellence and Innovation in the Arts, International Strategy of the Year, Student Recruitment Campaign of the Year, Teaching and Learning Strategy of the Year, THE DataPoints Improved Performance Award, THE DataPoints Social Impact Award, Workplace of the Year, and Leadership and Management Team of the Year.
“We were delighted to see that another record-breaking number of institutions -- over 200 in all, from an impressive range of countries and territories right across the Asian continent -- submitted their best and most inspirational stories to us for this year’s THE Awards Asia,” said Phil Baty, THE’s Chief Knowledge officer.
Only 66 entries from 22 countries were selected as finalists by the distinct panel of jurors which includes Christine Ennew of University of Warwick, Yuko Harayama of Tohoku University, Bashir Makhoul of University for the Creative Arts, Simon Marginson of the University of Oxford, and Timothy Tong of the AMTD Foundation.
Meanwhile, MCC President Michelle Aguilar-Ong said the inclusion of MCC to the roster of outstanding educational institutions in Asia is a manifestation of the local government’s dedication and success in providing the best quality of education to Mabalaqueño youth.
“Inaalay po namin ang tagumpay na ito sa ating pinakamamahal na Lungsod ng Mabalacat lalo na sa ating mga masigasig na mag-aaral. Ang parangal na ito ay patunay sa kalidad ng edukasyon na nais nating iabot sa mga kabataan sa tulong at suporta ni Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo at ng Sangguniang Panlungsod sa pangunguna ni Vice Mayor Gerald Aquino,” said Dr. Ong.
“Ang makasama sa shortlist ng prestihiyosong award na ito ay wagi na. Pagpupugay rin ang nais kong iabot sa ating mga teaching and non-teaching staff na bumubuo sa pwersa ng MCC,” Dr. Ong added.
For his part, Mabalacat City Mayor Crisostomo Garbo expressed his elation and attributed MCC’s stint in the competition as a milestone in public service and local governance.
“Tunay pong nakakawala ng pagod kapag nakikita natin na nagbubunga ang ating paghihirap na maitaguyod ang mga programa ng ating lokal na pamahalaan. Hindi po tayo binigo ng MCC dahil ang ating sariling kolehiyo ay hindi lamang huwaran sa Pampanga o sa buong bansa kundi pati na rin sa ibang panig ng mundo,” said Garbo.
The winners will be announced at a glittering ceremony during THE Live Asia, on December 14-15, 2021. Due to the repercussions of the Covid-19 pandemic, the organization is yet to decide whether the ceremony will be held in an in-person event or through a virtual platform. (PR)