La Salle moves college opening to September in ‘15

Photo from De La Salle University facebook account.

MANILA, Philippines — De La Salle University (DLSU) has announced plans to move the opening of classes to September in school year 2015-16.

DLSU said it was making the shift to a September-to-April academic calendar in 2015 because of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) economic integration set to start that year.

The University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University and the University of Santo Tomas earlier announced their own plans to “internationalize” their school calendars.

DLSU president and chancellor Br. Ricardo Laguda FSC said the new academic calendar, which has been aligned with that of universities in the Asean and partner nations, would have “numerous advantages,” such as easier international mobility for students and faculty, longer term breaks, improved administrative work and school maintenance, and better flexibility in class cancellations.

While other universities’ academic calendar consists of two semesters, DLSU has three trimesters of about 14 weeks each.

Under DLSU’s trimestral academic calendar, the first trimester next year will be from the 1st week of September to the 2nd week of December; the second trimester from the 2nd week of January to the 3rd week of April; and the third trimester from the 2nd week of May to the 2nd week of August.

For the transition period, Laguda said, the school’s  Academics Council is working on the details of a 14-week long “special term” to be offered to all batches.

“DLSU will conduct further discussions with its various stakeholders. I encourage you to propose meaningful ideas that can ensure the success of this important transformation,” Laguda said in his latest memorandum.

The UP earlier announced its shift to an August-to-May academic calendar starting school year 2014-15.

UST has announced it will adopt a July-to-May calendar.

Ateneo has said  it will shift to an August-May calendar in school year 2015-16.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) said other colleges and universities did not have to change their June to March academic calendar just to synchronize with other universities in the region. But it they choose to, they should inform the CHEd in writing

For universities like UP, UST, Ateneo and DLSU, all with “autonomous” status, shifting to an August opening was their prerogative, Licuanan said.

RELATED STORIES

Does the academic calendar matter?

CHEd thumbs down academic calendar shift