About

1. We believe that:

• Education is a lifelong process, and its focal point is and should always be the individual person;
• The primary purpose of education is the integral formation of the human person, the fullest development of everything that is human in the individual;
• it is an essential part of the mission of a school to help and complement the family in the exercise of its educational rights and duties;
• A university must be ever attentive and responsive to the real needs of the community that sustains it, seek to significantly contribute to human progress, and do everything it can to uplift the moral, cultural, and material level of the country and the region in which it operates; and
•  A university fulfills its role best when it forms individuals who are professionally competent, creative and enterprising, zealous for the common good, and capable of making free and morally upright choices, and who can thus act as positive agents of change in service to society.

2. We who form part of the University of Asia and the Pacific, therefore, dedicate and commit ourselves to:

• The highest standards of professional excellence in our academic, scientific, and cultural endeavors;
• The inculcation of sound and time-tested human and social values and attitudes in people, beginning with those we work and live with and reaching out especially to those in most need of help in society;
• The creation within the University of an atmosphere of academic serenity conducive not only to disciplined and diligent study, high-level research, and the responsible use of the freedom of scientific inquiry, but also to mutual respect, openness, understanding, and friendship, without discrimination of any kind; and
• Above all the arduous but most spiritually rewarding pursuit of wisdom, the synthesis of love of God and knowledge, faith and reason, culture and life.

3. The University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) is an academic community where the pursuit and spread of truth are undertaken according to the highest intellectual and professional standards.  It shall always remain faithful to these foundational aims:

• To pursue, through world-class research, an interdisciplinary synthesis of humanistic, professional, scientific, and technical knowledge, inspired by a Christian view of man and sense of life.
• To promote, in an atmosphere of freedom, the integral development of all the members of the University community so that they may work with good will, competence, and team spirit.
• To form committed professionals and encourage them to serve with personal initiative and civic responsibility the community in which they work, thereby helping build just and harmonious social structures.
• To create and spread a culture that strengthens the dignity of the human person and the unity of the family, and that promotes understanding and cooperation among persons of all races, beliefs, and social conditions.

4. To achieve these aims, the UA&P shall:

• Seek to reach a level of excellence in its research and teaching programs that will earn for the University a place among the most prestigious academic institutions in the Asia-Pacific region;
• Adopt advanced research and teaching techniques so as to become a source of innovative forms of learning, as well as contribute to a better balance between the cost and quality of research, communication, and education;
• Adapt its teaching programs, founded upon basic research and the study of the humanities, to the actual needs of a society undergoing progressive change and of a wide region promoting international cooperation;
• Seek, while working closely with other Philippine institutions, wider regional and international recognition so that it can be present in intellectual fora and policy dialogues;
• Strengthen and broaden the avenues for cooperation so that it can effectively contribute to the spread of proper values and people development and obtain from various sectors of society the necessary support to carry out extension work;
• Organize itself in a manner conducive to internal efficiency and effective coordination, while keeping enough flexibility, so as to enable all members of the University community to contribute freely and responsibly to the fulfillment of their common tasks; and
• Strive to attain, as a necessary condition for its autonomous development, a level of economic self-sufficiency that will allow the University to firmly establish itself as a center of academic excellence, to initiate new projects, and to admit well-qualified students from the underprivileged sectors of society.

5. The University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) seeks to promote the integral development of the members of the University community, undertake research for the common good of society, and contribute to the enrichment and spread of culture.

6. The UA&P shall always affirm its fidelity to:

• God, the Supreme Truth and Wisdom, Creator, Redeemer of the world, and Lord of history;
• The Catholic Church, guardian of the deposit of Christian revelation, which contains the supreme truth about God, man, and all creation;
• The truth, including the basic commitment to intellectual honesty, the pursuit and communication of which give professional, scientific, and cultural endeavors their focus, goal, and meaning;
• Man as a spiritual, rational, and free being, to whose genuine welfare and development the University must contribute; and
• The common good of the people, fully respecting the legitimate authorities and the laws of the state.

7. The UA&P seeks to remain faithful to the Magisterium of the Church because it regards such fidelity as a solid foundation of human wisdom.  The University is open to all those who abide by the goals and ideals embodied in the Statement of Principles, regardless of their religious persuasion; they may become members of the University community, itself characterized by an atmosphere of freedom.

8. The UA&P entrusts its spiritual guidance to the Prelature of Opus Dei, so that:

• The spiritual legacy of Saint Josemaría Escrivá may continually inspire all the activities of the University;
• The members of the University community may be provided not only professional formation, but also, for the ones who freely want them, spiritual attention and opportunities to deepen their knowledge of the Catholic faith; and
• While fully respecting the freedom of the consciences of its constituents, the University may foster in them a firm love for the Church, the Pope, and the Magisterium, as well as a strong unity of life built upon the practice of human and Christian virtues.

9. The UA&P shall carry out:

• Research in diverse fields of human endeavor, in accord with scientific and moral norms and aimed at achieving a cultural synthesis that shows the coherence between faith and reason;
• Teaching programs that are founded on research and that lead to higher academic degrees;
• Communication programs that draw from the results of competent research and that enrich culture by harmonizing the diversity of knowledge with the unity of truth;
• Personal development programs that impart professional specialization and expertise, along with a general humanistic culture and an abiding commitment to serve society; and
• Extension programs, particularly in those fields related to the University’s research and teaching activities, that broaden the opportunities of people, particularly the less privileged, to help themselves.

10. To fulfill its tasks, particularly those related to research and teaching, the UA&P demands:

• From its faculty and administrative personnel: the highest level of commitment and professional competence;
• From its students: diligence and the highest standards of excellence in their studies and work, as well as an operative interest in their integral personal formation; and
• From all: a great love for freedom, combined with a deep sense of responsibility and active cooperation for the common good of the University community and society.

11. The UA&P seeks to inculcate in people a firm conviction about work as:

• A proof of the primacy of man over material realities;
• A means of developing one’s personality, especially a spirit of service to others, thus contributing to human progress; and
• An eminently human activity that brings people together and unites them.

12. The UA&P holds that genuine academic freedom and respect for diversity of opinions can be assured only if the inseparable principles of personal freedom and responsibility are fostered.  Hence, the University considers these two principles indispensable in the search for excellence and truth, and makes them the basis of all its research, teaching, communication, and extension work.

13. The UA&P likewise believes that research and teaching require of its faculty a keen interest in the integral development of their students, to whom they will therefore give due attention.  The University also expects its faculty to be exemplars of unity, solidarity, and teamwork, shown in deeds of service to one another, to the students, to the University community, and to society in general, thereby reinforcing their genuine authority as pillars of the University as an educational endeavor.

14. The UA&P promotes interdisciplinary programs conducted jointly by Schools, Centers, and Institutes in the University for the achievement of institutional aims.  These programs are not isolated entities, but are parts of a whole.

15. The UA&P shall strive to be:

• A community of persons truly committed to the ideals and values articulated in its Credo;
• A place where persons of diverse backgrounds and persuasions work and study together in friendship and with mutual respect; and
• An institution always sensitive to social problems and open to opportunities to contribute to understanding and cooperation.

16. While taking care not to involve itself as an institution in political and other activities proper to other kinds of organizations, the UA&P encourages its constituents to:

• Develop the capacity for critical analysis and positive appraisal of social problems; and
• Freely form their own convictions and proposals for the solution of these problems within the ambit of legitimate pluralism.

17. In accord with existing laws and its statutes, the UA&P enjoys academic autonomy.  It is free to select its professors, admit qualified students, and formulate and carry out its research and teaching programs within the bounds set by law and its charter.

18. The Administration of the UA&P is inspired by the principles of collegiality and participation.  The President of the University is charged with highest executive responsibility but, in accord with its statutes, shares this responsibility with the different members of the University community through the channels of participation that have been established.

19. The moral unity of the University community requires of all its members adherence to the goals and ideals of the UA&P, manifested in their effective participation in the key tasks of research, teaching, communication, and extension.  In particular, the faculty are called upon to distinguish themselves by their professional competence and upright personal conduct, their conscientious fulfillment of contractual obligations and respect for University authorities, and their ability for service to the University.

The University of Asia and the Pacific seal (or logo) consists of two major components: the coat of arms and the wordmark. Both are needed to present a consistent visual image of UA&P.

The UA&P Coat of Arms has four elements:

• Star – the star represents a guiding star because we cannot count on our own human efforts alone. It is a representation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Stella Orientis (Star of the Orient), to whom the oratory of UA&P is dedicated.
• Galleon – the galleon represents the University’s aim to be a bridge of mutual understanding and cooperation between Asia and the rest of the world.
• Sea – the sea represents the Pacific Ocean, the body of water on whose rim lie the countries that belong to the Asia-Pacific region.
• Unitas – the motto of UA&P is Unity: unity between faith and reason, unity between religion and life, as well as unity with each other. It reflects the commitment of everyone in UA&P toward the pursuit of wisdom, which necessarily entails a synthesis and, therefore, a unity of life.

The wordmark is the standardized graphic representation of the name of the University. It is in ITC Galliard Std font. There are two versions of the wordmark: the UA&P acronym over the full name of the University, and the other is the full name over the subunit’s name.

The UA&P Identity Standards Manual is designed to present a standard and consistent corporate look for the University, particularly in such visual representations as its coat of arms, name and motto for various applications, including stationery, promotional materials, signage, and merchandise.

It contains the guidelines and rules necessary to ensure the projection of a truly strong institutional image at all levels of the University’s activities.

The UA&P Identity Standards Manual may be downloaded here.

We encourage everyone to be faithful to the guidelines in this manual in order to maintain the unity and consistency of the University’s corporate image. Electronic files of the seal and the secondary marks may be downloaded here.

Do not use second-generation versions, such as photocopies or other lower-quality reproductions.

Any question you may have regarding these guidelines should be directed to the Corporate Communications Office at local 301 or 342.

STAR OF THE ORIENT

We stand together,
Joyful we gather,
As we remember
Our Alma Mater.

Herald of the East light,
Beacon of true life,
Star of the Orient,
Lead us through the light.
With your radiance in the sky,
Guide us through the night.

Kindled by your bright flame,
We will strive in your name.
Star of the Orient,
Shine forth your light!

Let our Alma Mater
Flourish forever!
Let our Alma Mater
Flourish forever!

The spiritual formation in UA&P is entrusted to Opus Dei, a Personal Prelature of the Catholic Church. Opus Dei ensures the doctrinal and moral soundness of the other aspects of formation imparted in the University.

Founded by St. Josemaría Escrivá in 1928, Opus Dei strives to spread the universal call to holiness and apostolate. The faithful of the prelature come from different parts of the world.

St. Josemaria’s spiritual legacy underpins the University’s educational principles, which guide all policy and procedural decisions and actions:

Lay spirituality provides the means to enable ordinary men and women to have a deeper appreciation of their faith and be closer to God in the middle of the world.

Freedom of conscience guarantees the right of everyone to express his opinion and hold on to his beliefs, bound only by truth, prudence and charity.

Love for the poor pushes us to go beyond our own concerns and take on the personal responsibility to contribute to the material and moral betterment, especially of those who are in most need in society.

Care for details makes us actively think about the well-being of our colleagues, students, and the rest of the staff, in both intellectual and material realms.

Passionate love for the world helps us value reality and teach and learn deeply its various facets, in unity and coherence, through the different disciplines we teach and learn in school.

Love for the Church and the Pope makes certain our fidelity to the pronouncements of the teaching authority of the Church.

Christian identity marks our common mission in the University of appreciating and understanding our world, ourselves, and God’s mission and destiny for each of us.

Collegiality in governance ensures against tyranny and in favor of deliberation and study in every decision made.

Read more about the Prelature:

• Opus Dei website
• St. Josemaria Escriva