In a memorandum from the Office of Information and Communications Technology, the tools offer “invaluable benefits across diverse fields” and encouraged the educational use of the said softwares. Among the expected benefits to the entire community are the improvement of digital skills, assistance in the creation of compelling projects, and enhancement of visual and graphic design skills.

The rollout marks a significant milestone in UST’s provision of software applications, particlarly Adobe, to Thomasians. In the past, those in design programs were prioritized. However, with graphic design now an important skill across all fields due to the ubiquity of online media, the University makes the softwares accessible to the entire community.

Thomasians can access their Adobe All Apps using their Google for Education suite accounts.

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The orientation activity, facilitated by Rev. fr. Stephen Redillas, O.P., Senior Consultant for Information and Communications Technology of UST, brought to the fore the Blackboard and digital learning endeavors happening at the ������Ƶapp – Manila, for possible adoption by the DPP schools.

According to Rev. fr. Winston F. Cabading, O.P., SThL-MA, Assistant to the Rector for Information and Communications Technology, “we are offering our expertise to our sister schools in the DPP in jumpstarting their e-learning initiatives.” Recognizing that the schools are at different stages of technology integration, fr. Cabading said that UST “will guide and provide training where needed to the schools” so they can maximize the potentials of digital learning.

During the session, Educational Technology Center Director , MSc presented in greater detail UST’s experience in using the Blackboard Learning Management System, which from 2002-2018 gave the University the e-Learning Access Program (e-LeAP) and since 2018 has given rise to the UST Cloud Campus. This made UST the pioneer institution in massive-wide e-Learning adoption in the Philippines.

The DPP schools represented were the ������Ƶapp – Manila, ������Ƶapp Angelicum College – Quezon City, ������Ƶapp – Legazpi, Albay, Colegio de San Juan de Letran – Calamba, Laguna; Intramuros – Manila; Bataan; and Manaoag, Pangasinan; and Lyceum of Camiguin.

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According to Assistant to the Rector for Information and Communication Technology Rev. fr. Winston F. Cabading, O.P., SThL-MA, the session aimed “to bring the 3 most digital technology-immersed departments [, , and the ] together for a unified strategic planning for the University.”

Among the areas of concern were “the interfaces among the three [units]” and the need to craft a 5-year strategic plan, backed up by a mechanism to accomplish the targets. Also, the gathering aimed “to draft appropriate policies for the ICT services of the University.”

Rev. fr. Stephen Redillas, O.P., served as facilitator in the strategic plan. Among the salient points discussed were the competencies of each of the three units and how these competencies can be harmonized to move toward the same goals.

According to fr. Cabading, “Santo Tomas e-Service Providers (STePs) provides the robust, reliable, scalable, hardware and network infrastructure, while the Educational Technology (EdTech) Center provides the innovations for connected learning on multi platforms. Finally, the Institute of Information and Computing Sciences (IICS), as the academic department, [is responsible] for the creation of technological innovations as well as training Thomasians IT professionals who are prepared for the fast-changing landscape of information technology.”

In an online interview, EdTech Center Director , said that with the August 2018 decision to provide the EdTech Center “a clearer focus specifically to be the support unit dedicated for eLearning through the UST Cloud Campus project and instructional media production…the EdTech Center [now] can better focus and prioritize services to harness the university’s expertise in deploying massive e-Learning scale adoption.”

Part of the goals is for UST to be an online university, which will allow it to 1) develop and deliver fully online courses; 2) offer unique courses that are not available to existing program offerings; 3) model and showcase 21st-century teaching and learning practices that embrace student-centric approaches in physical and virtual learning spaces; 4) develop an exemplary league of online instructors in course design, development, and delivery; and 5) produce digital content for a wider set of audiences, among others.

On the part of the academic units, the Institute of Information and Computing Sciences “aims to provide latest technologies to the University.” IICS Director Jerralyn T. Padua, MSc stated that it will partner closely with the EdTech Center to “offer dynamic programs and courses for students, alumni, professionals, and all other stakeholder.” Furhtermore, the Institute will “strengthen its software development consultancy in close coordination with the Santo Tomas e-Service Providers (STePS) in the service of all Thomasian business process owners by introducing innovative systems/applications for various units in the University.”

The output of the entire planning session was a Wildly Important Goal (WIG) to unite the efforts of all units concerned.

The Office of Information and Communication Technology was established in 2018 by the Rector, the . With its establishment, the Santo Tomas e-Service Providers and EdTech Center now fall under its direct supervision. STePs used to be under the Office of the Secretary-General, while EdTech Center used to be under the Office of the Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs.

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