With its core mission to contribute to the country’s progress by supporting excellence in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation has partnered with several academic institutions to provide innovative learning for the future Filipino workforce. Among the foundation’s major undertakings is a partnership with De La Salle University through an endowment for the DLSU-Gokongwei College of Engineering (DLSU-GCE), which recently celebrated its 75th anniversary.
GBF Trustee Marcia Gokongwei, herself a DLSU alumna, was the guest of honor at DLSU-GCE's anniversary event, which highlighted the institution’s legacy and landmark achievements.
In her address that was shared with the faculty, administration, alumni, and students, Gokongwei noted with pride that the College has consistently produced forward-thinking engineering professionals who continue to make a mark in different industries. “We in the Gokongwei Brothers Foundation are deeply honored to be a partner of this endeavor in our shared vision of nation-building through elevating STEM education. This dream has been realized with the numerous achievements of the DLSU-GCE in the past years. The College has been the recipient of awards, recognitions, and accreditations for faculty, students, and programs from local and international institutions. With these benchmarks and milestones, we can truly say that we are on the right track,” said Gokongwei.
Molding Leaders in Industry and Innovation
Since the partnership began in 2011, the DLSU-GCE has accommodated a total of 115 GBF scholars, helping fulfill their dream of becoming engineering graduates from one of the country’s top universities. Of these students, 88 have finished their studies, with 57 of them graduating with honors, while the rest are still enrolled. For the academic year 2021-2022, the Scholarship Program produced 19 degree holders, with one summa cum laude, three cum laude graduates, and four honorable mention recipients.
As a testament to DLSU-GCE’s quality of education, the college’s Board Exam passing rate has been remarkable over the years. In the latest round of PRC licensure exams, the institution had a passing rate of 90.91% in Chemical Engineering; 89.58% in Mechanical Engineering, 82.72% in Civil Engineering; and 81.25% in Electronics Engineering. According to the 2022 Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings, De La Salle University is the country’s top private higher education institution in the field of Chemical Engineering.
Apart from fostering scholastic excellence, the partnership promotes an academic culture that encourages research. In publishing research in the fields of Chemical Engineering, Energy Engineering, and Environmental Science, DLSU-GCE has been prolific with 154 publications in 2021 alone. Five of its faculty members are among the world’s top 2% researchers based on scientific impact, according to a report by Stanford University. New patents in geopolymer products, an exoskeleton project, and kidney bioengineering applications are just a few of the breakthroughs that have emerged from the brilliant minds of the college faculty.
Recognizing their talents, the National Council for Research in the Philippines tapped DLSU-GCE faculty members for its R&D Leadership Program. Professors Andres Winston Oreta, Robert Kerwin Billones, and Michael Angelo Promentilla have been tasked to promote research in all sectors of society, foster linkages with local and international scientific organizations, and provide advice on issues of national interest.
Forging forward
With the continued support of the GBF, the DLSU-GCE plans to advance faculty research and development. Under the leadership of Dean Kathleen Aviso, who was named among Asia’s top 100 scientists in 2021 by Singaporean publication ASM International, the institution aims to increase research in sustainability issues, computational techniques, data science, and machine learning.
“Guided by Lasallian core principles, the College will focus on the three areas of Teaching and Learning, Community Service, and Research. In the coming years, we aim to develop a mentoring program and new modes of delivery, while strengthening partnerships with industry and strengthening our presence in the international scientific community. We will strengthen mentoring of junior researchers and engagement with foreign collaborators and develop programs with the newly established School of Lifelong Learning,” said Dean Aviso.
DLSU-GCE will also undergo reaccreditation with the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAASCU) and the Philippine Technological Council's Accreditation and Certification Board for Engineering and Technology (ACBET); it will also launch a Quality Assurance conference.
As part of her remarks at DLSU-GCE’s anniversary event, Gokongwei reaffirmed GBF’s commitment to its long-standing partnership with the institution, saying: “We want to continue supporting future leaders and innovators through DLSU-GCE, especially as we build back better after the pandemic. The Foundation will continue to champion industry-led education that is relevant and timely, and offer more Filipinos opportunities to learn, and eventually, lead in STEM.”
The Gokongwei Brothers Foundation is paving the way towards advancements in STEM education and research across the country. Apart from supporting students and faculty at the DLSU-GCE, it has spearheaded programs such as TeachSTEM Scholarships for Educators, Juan Community for Education, Iskolar ni Juan Tech-Voc Scholarships, and the GBF-Gokongwei Group STEM Scholarship for Excellence.
For more information, visit gokongweibrothersfoundation.org
