Far Eastern University

Far Eastern University (Filipino: Pamantasan ng Malayong Silanganan), also referred to by its acronym FEU, is a private research non-sectarian university in Manila, Philippines. Created by the merger of Far Eastern College and Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance, FEU became a university in 1934 during the term of its first president, Dr. Nicanor B. Reyes, Sr.

The first accountancy school for Filipinos, the university has expanded its course offerings to the arts and sciences, architecture, fine arts, education, engineering, computer studies, graduate studies, tourism and hotel management, law, nursing, and medicine. FEU has nine schools located in Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, and Pampanga. It offers programs from elementary, secondary, tertiary, to graduate school.

FEU Manila comprises several institutes that offer specific programs. The accountancy program, along with its other undergraduate programs, have received the highest Level IV accreditation from the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA). The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has also granted it as a Center of Development in Business Administration and a Center of Excellence for Teacher Education.

History

Pre-war

The university was founded through a merger of the Far Eastern College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance (IABF) in November 1933. Far Eastern College, founded in 1919 by Vicente F. Fabella (the first Filipino CPA), Nicanor Maronilla-Seva, Francisco Africa, Pedro Cortez, and Salvador Unson, was a commerce and liberal arts school in Arlegui St., Quiapo; while the IABF had been established (originally under the name Institute of Accountancy) by Dr. Francisco T. Dalupan, Sr. and Dr. Nicanor B. Reyes, Sr., then head of the Department of Economics at the University of the Philippines, with a number of other prominent educators in 1928.

From the initial 117 students, population grew to 11,000 just before the war. IABF had been originally predominately used by night students, and the new university, which was supported by the tuition provided by its students rather than government grants, soon demonstrated that a private university was financially sustainable in the Philippines. FEU is the 6th oldest university in the Philippines and the 4th oldest private, nonsectarian university in the country based on its extant university charter.

In the early 1930s, FEU was housed in a converted tobacco factory (La Oriente Fabrica de Tabacos y Compania; boundary of Quiapo and Sampaloc district lots) already present on the 4 hectares (9.9 acres) property lot owned by Sulucan Hill Subdivision. Due to the widening of the street that became Quezon Blvd (formerly El Dorano Street)., the original building designed and built by Pablo S. Antonio, Sr., National Artist for Architecture, was demolished and had to be rebuilt on a bigger scale on what is the present campus of FEU.

In 1934, the first four institutes, Accounts, Business and Finance (IABF), Arts and Sciences (IAS), Law (IL), and Education (IE) were founded. Two years later, the Institute of Technology (FIT) was also established.

Dr. Nicanor B. Reyes, Sr., as the founding president of the university, spent his early years establishing the courses and programs for FEU. For the campus, he commissioned Ar. Pablo S. Antonio, Sr. to construct the main building and several structures for the university. In 1940, the Nicanor B. Reyes Sr. Hall, which would later house the main library at third level and Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance, opened. Two other buildings by Antonio, the Girl's High School Building and Boy's High School Building followed. Enrollment had blown with approximately 10,000 registered students and an international student population of 400. Former Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon hailed and called FEU "the best non-sectarian institution in the country."

University emblems

The university seal

The FEU Coat of Arms depicts a Sarimanok holding a kalasag. Inside the kalasag is an 8 pointed star with a bamboo scroll under it, inscribed with the baybayin letters “KKK”. Meanwhile, the university seal has the Coat of Arms housed inside a green ellipse with gold outline, surrounded with the university's name in baybayin-inspired font and the IABF's founding year at the bottom.

The logo and font were designed by Galo Ocampo, the Father of Philippine Heraldry.

FEU is one of the first universities in the country to be established by a Filipino. Thus, in 1961, the university wanted to showcase the Sarimanok-inspired coat of arms, as proposed by former Institute of Arts and Sciences Dean Alejandro Roces; for it projects the nationalistic spirit upon which the university was founded. It also serves as the link between the past and present.

The "KKK" inscription means Katotohanan (Truth), Kagandahan (Beauty), and Kabutihan (Goodness).

The university colors

Green and Gold are the university's official colors. Green is for hope, representing Rizal's "Fair hope of the Fatherland" while Gold represents the golden opportunity for the university to serve the youth and her alumni to serve the country.

The university mascot

The tamaraw is the athletic mascot of the university and nickname of every FEU student. Known scientifically as “Bubalus mindorensis”, it is an endemic animal found only in the island of Mindoro. Symbolically enough, the tamaraw is one of the most intelligent, pugnacious and aggressive of our animal species just as the university is known for its advanced, progressive policy in contemporary education.

The university mace

The mace is the symbol of the university which is used on every formal academic event such as commencement exercises and recognition rites. The mace serves as the emblem of the President's Office and is prominently showcased during official University events presided over by the President. It comprises the university seal meticulously crafted from solid bronze, situated atop a finely carved staff made from Philippine hardwood.

Manila Campus

Among the buildings on FEU's campus complex, five by the late Ar. Pablo S. Antonio Sr., garnered recognition in 2005 from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), who bestowed the Asia Pacific Heritage Award for Cultural Heritage on the university for "the outstanding preservation of its Art Deco structures." The buildings include the Nicanor B. Reyes Sr. Hall, the Admissions Building, the Architecture and Fine Arts Building, the Administration Building, and the Science Building. The Cultural Center of the Philippines also recognized the historical legacy of the buildings with a marker. Other historical buildings on the campus include the 1950s FEU Chapel and the Arts Building, which are designed in the International Style by Felipe Mendoza.

In 2018, these Art Deco buildings, the FEU Chapel, and several art works were declared as National Cultural Treasures (NCT) by the National Museum of the Philippines. The Felipe Mendoza-designed chapel, featuring the striking Fatima mosaic on its facade by Vicente Manansala, the "Crucifixion of Christ" and "Via Crucis" paintings by Botong Francisco, and the stained-glass panels and mural crafted by Antonio Dumlao were recognized as part of this prestigious collection. Furthermore, the brass sculptures by Manansala at the quadrangle and the bas-reliefs by Francesco Riccardo Monti in the Administration Building lobby were also honored as NCTs.

The university maintains various facilities, such as an electronic library, various types of laboratories, an auditorium, audio-visual and multimedia rooms, technology-based gate security and enrollment system, and gymnasiums. Due to FEU's mission to preserve and care for the environment, the university has a green and eco-friendly campus landscape and is famously called as the "Oasis of the University Belt".

History

During the 1930s, there was a heavy influence of American culture especially in the field of technology and construction that was reflected in the lives of the Filipinos. Concrete and steel were used by the Americans and was found to be the suitable materials for the tropical environment. These were materialized by Arch. Pablo S. Antonio Sr. in creating the FEU campus buildings that reflected both the university's and the country's vision and showed his personal transition from Art Deco to the International Style. The buildings were constructed between the years 1939 to 1950.

Nicanor Reyes Sr. Hall

The Nicanor Reyes Sr. Hall, named after the founder, is a long, low-rise U-shaped building facing Quezon Boulevard beside the Alfredo Reyes Hall. The building was constructed in 1940 by National Artist Arch. Pablo Antonio Sr. The distinct character of the massive façade are the sets of protruded vertical volumes located on both ends of the structure.

Academics

Far Eastern University offers 28 undergraduate programs, 21 graduate degree programs, and a law school through its seven institutes, while FEU Tech offers 12 undergraduate programs leading to engineering and computer studies. The university offers secondary, post-secondary, and certification courses as well. Since 2020, FEU Manila holds extension programs in its Cavite campus.

The university runs on a semestral academic system. An academic year starts in the second week of August and ends in May. The university is supervised by the Board of Trustees, which is made up of academic practitioners and specialists from various disciplines.

The FEU General Education (GE) program comprises fifteen 3-unit courses, typically spanning the first two years of undergraduate study. This curriculum prioritizes the alignment of expected learning outcomes, from the overarching university level to course-specific outcomes, guiding instructional design. GE courses emphasize the development of functional knowledge and foundational skills, placing both humanities and sciences content as a means for students to showcase critical thinking and contextualization abilities. The curriculum promotes student-centered learning approaches, where students actively participate in their knowledge construction.

Admissions and Scholarship grants

Students who wish to study in the university must pass the College Admissions Test (FEUCAT).

In 2021, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, the FEUCAT was replaced by the FEU Student Placement for Admission to College Education (SPACE), wherein academic performance in Grades 11 and 12 are the basis for admissions. Application through the FEUCAT resumed in 2022.

The university has an open admission policy, welcoming a broad spectrum of students without rigorous entrance exams, promoting inclusivity in higher education. Specific programs may have additional admission criteria.

FEU funds an average of over 3,500 scholars every year, providing about 11% of the total student population. Scholarships are granted to academically qualified students, financially challenged yet deserving individuals, and university representatives in different fields of service and interests.

Grading system

An FEU student's final grade for a course generally comes in the form of a letter, which is a summary of their performance in the formative and summative assessments. A is given a value of 4, B+ 3.5, B 3, C+ 2.5, C 2, D+ 1.5, D 1, and F 0. The passing mark for all university courses regardless of program is 50%.

Research

FEU funds research in areas such as biodiversity, urban renewal, public health, genetics, sociolinguistics, and indigenous cultures. The university, through the representation of the URC, has been an active member of the Metro Manila Health Research and Development Consortium (MMHRDC) and the University belt Consortium (U-Belt Consortium). FEU has established partnerships and collaborations with universities and institutions around the world. These collaborations often involve student and faculty exchange programs, joint research projects, and academic cooperation in various fields of study.

Student life

FEU has had long and rich history in education, culture, arts, sports and student leadership development.

Athletics

FEU is a founding member of the two major collegiate athletic organizations in the Philippines, namely the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

Among the many athletes who have attended FEU are Alberto Nogar Sr, Lydia De Vega, Elma Muros, Anthony Villanueva, and Johnny Abarrientos. FEU's teams are named after the tamaraw, a buffalo with a reputation for ferocity.

Events

The university hosts various events through-out the school year to celebrate milestones, support student endeavors, and recognize its community's achievements. To encourage student participation, classes are suspended for certain time schedules known as 'Activity Periods'.

Tatak Tamaraw - a week long welcoming of freshmen to the FEU community. It involves the orientation on academic policies, university support services, and the vibrant campus life of FEU. The event is capped-off with a welcome fest concert at the end of the week.

Tam Hunt - the student organizations membership fair facilitated by the FEU Central Student Organization which boosts student engagement through various initiatives and causes.

Tam Rally - parade of student athletes in preparation for the upcoming UAAP season.

CreePIYU - an annual halloween event managed by the FEU Guides.

Pasko sa Piyu - annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony of the university in anticipation of the holiday season.

Foundation Week - the university commemorates its founder's legacy through a week long celebration, with a roster of events such as academic lectures and workshops, cultural performances, and student-led functions.

One Concierto Piyu - the anticipated highlight concert of the Foundation Week with a line-up of contemporary Filipino artists and bands.

Arts and culture

Since 1990, the university has maintained the FEU Center for the Arts (FCA), formerly known as President's Committee on Culture, which programs a year-long calendar of cultural activities. The FCA nurtures seven cultural groups namely, FEU Bamboo Band, FEU Chorale, FEU Dance Company, FEU Drum and Bugle Corps, FEU Theater Guild, FEU Drummers and the FEU Guides. The FEU Guides conduct tours of FEU's UNESCO recognized campus.

FEU houses a vast art collection, featuring pieces by well-known Filipino artists like National Artists Botong Francisco and Vicente Manansala, in addition to works by international artists. This collection comprises paintings, sculptures, and diverse art forms showcased throughout the university's campuses and buildings. National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin’s memorabilia is also an exhibit at the FEU library.

FEU Group of Schools

The FEU Group of Schools is a network of educational institutions in the Philippines that offer various academic programs and cater to different levels of education. It is composed of 7 legal entities, operating eleven campuses located across Metro Manila and Luzon. The student population is over 40,000+ students.

Far Eastern University (FEU Manila), the main and oldest campus, is located in Sampaloc, Manila. It houses a wide range of academic programs under various institutes. It also houses research centers and serves as the administrative center for the entire FEU Group of Schools.

Эх сурвалж: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)