WITH its strong commitment to providing affordable and promising education, Thames International established its scholarship tie-up with the University of North Carolina at Pembroke (UNC Pembroke) on Monday, March 22, 2022 at the Oakridge Horizons Cafe in Oakridge Business Park.
The event was attended by Thames International’s co-founder and president Joel Santos and UNC Pembroke’s associate vice chancellor of Global Engagement Dan Kulmala.
Established in 1999, Thames International is the Philippines’ first international college that offered Commerce and Communication-related courses. Prior to the pandemic, Thames has been practicing distance learning.
For the past 21 years, Thames has followed the British system in which students utilize their first two years in the Philippines and finish the remaining two years in the UK, Australia or Singapore. In the updated British system, the students are guaranteed a work visa after graduation.
Over 150 students have graduated from various partnered universities such as the James Cook University, the Northumbria University and the Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS).
In its recent implementation of the US system with UNC Pembroke, it has expanded its offered programs with science-related courses such as nursing, pre-med and computer science, as well as humanities-related courses like music/theater/studio art, political science, communication arts, psychology and education.
Kulmala shared his excitement about the partnered scholarship program. "We have an amazing opportunity, the NC Promise or North Carolina Promise. It allows non-resident students to pay $5,000 tuition for two semesters. It's an amazing opportunity to make higher education affordable," he said.
Unlike the British system, the US system allows the students to stay for work based on the program they have taken such as the Sciences. However, some degree programs would require the students to go home.
One of the highlighted benefits is the affordability of cost in terms of tuition fees and lodging. With the US degree having a total of P10.4 million and the UK degree with P3.6 million, the Thames Twinning System would have a total of P1.7 million provided that the student stays in the UK for only a year.
Santos expressed his sentiments how it is all parents’ dream to provide the best education for their children.
"For us, we just want to give them the best education we can afford. And what is best, as parents, it means the following: quality education, they end up having good friends in college, they have better opportunities and finally, life adventure. But you know, what was best during my time may not be the best for Gen Z," he said.
They also awarded scholarships under their Innovation and Creative Enterprise program to the Top 5 winners of Miss Cebu 2022: Gabriella Mai Carballo, Danikka Anne Ocampo, Ciairha Jenyne Monsanto, Christine Marie Aberion and Karla Marie Frances Niere. / Alessandra Cular, STC MassComm Intern