Ateneo de Manila University: Encyclopedia II - Ateneo de Manila University - Institution

Ateneo de Manila University - Institution

The Ateneo de Manila University operates from several campuses throughout Metro Manila, each campus housing different academic and research units. Several thousand faculty serve a diverse student body of different ages in different academic levels, from elementary to postgraduate. The Loyola Schools, the teritiary unit has around 7,500 undergraduate students and around 3,000 graduate students, making the Ateneo a small school in terms of population relative to other Philippine universities.

The University grew out of a primary school taken over by Spanish Jesuits in 1859, and is now a full university engaging in teaching, research, and social outreach. Academic programs are geared toward some sort of praxis and real-world output, through which the University and its community engage social problems, especially in areas of national development.

Ateneo de Manila University - The Ateneo Commitment: A Faith that Does Justice

The Ateneo has grounded its vision and mission in Jesuit educational tradition. The university's vision-mission statement may be summarized as follows:

"The Ateneo de Manila, a Filipino university, aims to form men and women who critically examine their world and pursue excellence and leadership in order to solve social problems and to drive sustainable, inclusive, and empowering human development in the Philippines and the world at large."

The university is highly involved in civic work, and for the Ateneo, social involvement is not merely extra-curricular, but is at the very core of the Ateneo education.

Some of the Ateneo's social projects such as the Ateneo-Mangyan Project for Understanding and Development and Bigay Puso at the Grade School, the Christian Service and Involvement Program, Banlaw immersion, and Tulong Dunong program for senior students, all at the High School, at the College, the many progams by the Office of Social Concern and Involvement such as builds with Gawad Kalinga and Kalinga Luzon, the Labor Trials Program which is tied in with juniors' Philosophy classes, and at the Professional Schools, projects such as the Graduate School of Business' Mulat-Diwa, the Leaders for Health Project, the Law School's Human Rights Center and Legal Aid programs, to name a few. Other projects include the Pathways to Higher Education program, a tie-up with the Ford Foundation which is a comprehensive response to the problem faced by academically-gifted by financially-underprivileged youth who seek a college education. There are also programs by the Ateneo Center for Educational Development.

The centerpiece social program of the university is its only university-wide social action program, its partnership with Gawad Kalinga.

Ateneo de Manila University - Administration

The Ateneo de Manila is governed by a Board of Trustees, currently chaired by alumnus Manuel Pangilinan. A central administration, led by the University President, Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, S.J., oversees key initiatives related to academics, international programs, university development and alumni relations, personnel, security, and other university-wide concerns.

Individual units and departments are usually led by a vice president, with the exception of the basic education units, led by a director which oversees the leadership of both the High School's principal and the Grade School's headmaster. The Loyola Schools and Professional Schools are led by respective vice presidents, who oversee four deans, who in turn oversee department chairpersons.

Ateneo de Manila University - Admissions and Financial Aid

Individual degree-granting units and schools such as the Loyola Schools, Professional Schools, and even the Grade School and High School conduct separate admissions processes. Admission into one unit in no way guarantees admission into another, more advanced unit.

The Ateneo receives thousands of applications from all over the country every year, from prospective students who wish to enroll in one of the units' programs. Applications from foreigners to the college and graduate school programs are quite common. In 2005, the Loyola Schools admitted 2,023 freshmen, a figure larger than the projected average of 1,800 freshmen from recent years. 20% of the entering class was composed of valedictorians (83), salutatorians (62), and honorable mention graduates (277).

The university also extends financial aid to students. Scholarships are available in all academic units, with funding coming from the university, third parties, and donations made by alumni, the government, and the private sector. The Loyola Schools offer Merit Scholarships for the top scorers in the Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET), and the San Ignacio Merit Scholarships are given to top ACET takers from public high schools.

Ateneo de Manila University - Organization

The Ateneo de Manila University is composed of school units and auxiliary units. Affiliated units contribute to the work of the different school and auxiliary units, facilitating the work of learning, teaching, research, and social involvement. Individual units enjoy a considerable amount of autonomy from the central administration.

The Ateneo Professional Schools (APS) is the main professional education division of Ateneo de Manila.

The Professional Schools offer degrees such as Master of Business Administration and Master of Arts, and the School of Law confers the Juris Doctor (JD) degree in lieu of the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree. The Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health, which opens in 2007, will offer an integrated Doctor of Medicine and Master of Management program. The Professional Schools also confer certificates for short courses.

• AGSB-BAP Institute of Banking
• Ateneo Graduate School of Business
• Ateneo Information Technology Institute
• Ateneo School of Government
• Ateneo School of Law
• Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health
• Center for Continuing Education

The Loyola Schools is the tertiary level school unit of the Ateneo de Manila University that offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the arts and sciences. It is composed of the School of Humanities, the John Gokongwei School of Management, the School of Science and Engineering, and the School of Social Sciences.

Effective May 1, 2006, Professor Ma. Assunta C. Cuyegkeng (PhD Chemistry, U. Regensburg) will be the Vice-President for the Loyola Schools. She will replace Professor Anna Miren Gonzales-Intal (PhD Psychology, Yale University), who will return to teaching.

The Ateneo de Manila High School is a Catholic preparatory school for male students.

The campus features various facilities such as a library, the Instructional Technology Center, the Tanghalang Onofre Pagsanghan (Dulaang Sibol), and a large athletic complex with one of the largest covered courts in the country. In 2003, the High School opened a new building called the Center for Math, Science and Technology, which contains the school's science and computer laboratories.

The High School is also known for religious formation programs, such as the Christian Service and Involvement Program, which comprises the Dungaw-Exposure Trip for Freshmen, Dama-Christian Service Program for sophomores, and the Damay Immersion Program for juniors. Other religious formation activities include the Tulong Dunong Program for seniors, recollections and retreats. The Ateneo High School is notable for being the first school to hold sessions of Days with the Lord.

Effective May 1, 2006, Fr. Raymund Benedict Q. Hizon, SJ will be the new principal of the High School, replacing Mrs. Carmela C. Oracion.

The Ateneo de Manila Grade School is an all-boys institution with a current average population of 4000 students. It provides facilities and classrooms for students in the preparatory level to the seventh grade. It is an integral part of the Ateneo de Manila University. It is governed by its own set of by-laws and an internal administrative set-up that answers its peculiar needs. Its current headmaster is Fr. Jose Moises Fermin, S.J.

Auxiliary units are established by the Board of Trustees and follow the general University Policy. They operate with their own staff, some of whom may be drawn from the various schools or other units of the University.

• Ateneo Art Gallery
• Ateneo Center for Asian Studies
• Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development
• Ateneo Center for Educational Development
• Ateneo Center for English Language Training
• Ateneo Center for Organization Research and Development
• Ateneo Center for Psychological and Educational Assessment
• Ateneo Center for Social Policy and Public Affairs
• Ateneo de Manila University Press
• Ateneo Institute of Literary Arts and Practices
• Ateneo Java Wireless Competency Center
• Ateneo Language Center
• Ateneo Research Network for Development
• Ateneo Teacher Center
• Ateneo Wellness Center
• Center for Communication Research and Technology
• Center for Community Services
• Governor Jose B. Fernandez Ethics Center for Business and Public Service
• Institute of Philippine Culture
• Ninoy and Cory Aquino Center for Leadership
• Pathways to Higher Education-Philippines
• Philippines-Australia Studies Network
• National Chemistry Instrumentation Center

Affiliated support the work of the university in various fields.

• Arrupe International Residence
• Asian Public Intellectuals Fellowships
• Ateneo Union Office
• Center for Family Ministries Foundation
• Center for Leadership & Change Inc.,
• China Office
• East Asian Pastoral Institute
• Faculty Housing
• Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institue
• Health Alternatives for Total Human Development Institute, Inc.
• Institute of Social Order
• Institute on Church and Social Issues
• ISO Canteen
• Jesuit Basic Education Commission
• Jesuit Communications Foundation
• Jesuit Residence
• Jesuit Volunteers Philippines
• Loyola House of Studies
• Loyola School of Theology
• Manila Observatory
• McBo Canteen
• Office of Fr. Bernas, SJ
• Partnership of Philippine Support Agencies
• Philippine Development NGOs for International Concern
• Philippine Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry
• Program for Cultural Cooperations
• San Jose Major Seminary
• Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal
• Social Service Center
• Society of Jesuit Social Apostolate
• Ugnayan at Tulong para sa Maralitang Pamilya Foundation, Inc.
• Vietnam Service Office

Ateneo de Manila University - International Programs

The Ateneo has growing international linkages with universities, institutions, and organizations frpm all over the world, particularly in Asia, Australia, North and South America, and Europe. Through these cooperative efforts, the university hosts visiting faculty and research fellows from institutions abroad, and in turn, Ateneo faculty members also engage in teaching, research, and study in institutions abroad.

International cooperation also includes active student exchange through Philippine immersion programs for a month or two for small groups of 15-18 students or full study programs wherein students from partner instutions abroad take regular courses.

The university also offers students an opportunity to study abroad under a student exchange program during their undergraduate or graduate years. Students engage in either semestral or yearly study or exchange programs in partner universities abroad. Students of the John Gokongwei School of Management can also sign up for the Junior Term Abroad program, wherein they will spend a semester in one of the Ateneo's partner schools for undergraduate business studies.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Institution", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki