Introduction to the University of the Philippines

 Focus on Philippine immigration Focus on Philippine education

The University of the Philippines is a national university, with 70% of the national education funding for national universities allocated to this institution each year. The university was established on June 18, 1908, with the assistance of American universities, under Republic Act No. 1870 (also known as the University Charter) issued by the first legislative body of the Philippines. It follows an entirely American-style education system, with courses taught in English and a unique educational approach that has cultivated numerous elites across various fields. The first president of the university was Dr. Murray Bartlett, an American. After nearly a century of development, the University of the Philippines has become the largest national comprehensive university in the Philippines. At its inception, it consisted of the College of Fine Arts, the College of Medicine, and the College of Agriculture. Within the first ten years of its establishment, the university successively built seven departments: the College of Medicine, the College of Engineering, the College of Education, the College of Music, the College of Law, the College of Arts and Letters, and the College of Veterinary Medicine. The second president was Ignacio Villamor, a Filipino, who emphasized curriculum development and advocated for the establishment of a competitive faculty in both teaching and research, significantly enhancing the university's competitiveness in the decades to come. The University of the Philippines is headquartered in Diliman, with a campus covering 493 hectares. The university has a total of 51 colleges, 27 of which can confer bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees, while Diliman has 23 academic institutions that can confer degrees. In the 1990-1991 academic year, the registered student population at this campus was 18,010, accounting for approximately 53% of the total student body, including 13,800 undergraduates, 3,670 graduate students, and 540 non-degree students. The university is ranked as the top among the four prestigious universities in the Philippines and holds an international ranking of 96. The University of the Philippines has received visits from Chinese leaders multiple times and holds a significant political position in the Philippines. Many Chinese government-sponsored students study at this university, and currently, there are 12 Chinese students enrolled, mostly pursuing doctoral and master's degrees.