The British Council is committed to fostering connections that enhance education quality, inclusion, innovation, and sustainability. We support the Philippines’ aspiration to internationalise its higher education sector, ensuring that graduates are globally competitive and equipped with the skills needed to drive the country’s economic growth. We commend the EDCOM II Year 2 report for its comprehensive analysis and recommendations, which affirm the momentum of our work in higher education and science. The report highlights the increasing collaborations between foreign institutions and the Philippines, aligning with our shared goal of strengthening the country’s higher education and research ecosystem.
We strongly resonate with EDCOM II’s recommendation for a comprehensive strategic plan to advance transnational education (TNE) and internationalisation while safeguarding educational standards. The British Council is dedicated to supporting the Philippine government in crafting a TNE strategy that reflects the country’s unique strengths, ensures sustainable higher education engagements, and fosters unified government support. Additionally, we recognise the report’s call for policies that enable foreign faculty and researchers to contribute to research and innovation initiatives and the need to enhance the Philippines’ research productivity to remain competitive within ASEAN.
In support of EDCOM II’s recommendations, the British Council will:
- Continue facilitating partnerships between Philippine and UK higher education institutions to develop pioneering programmes that enhance education quality.
- Continue collaborating with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to strengthen the country’s transnational education policy, including developing a national TNE strategy.
- Work with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to advance research and innovation, particularly in strengthening Philippine higher education institutions' research productivity and commercialisation capacity, in line with EDCOM II’s emphasis on building a robust R&D ecosystem.
We remain committed to working alongside key stakeholders to drive meaningful and sustainable reforms in Philippine education.