December 22, 2007
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Being back home honestly feels good. For me, it speaks of normality. Of comfort. Of ease. Of peace of mind. The life I live here is the life I still feel comfortable to call normal. While I have spent the last 6 months in LA, studying, hanging out, having fun and getting used to doing all, they are merely parts of a routine. Being home once again made me realize that not all routines are considered normal. True, the things I do here are also a routine, yet they feel normal and comfy. In some sense, there is still some (or a lot of) sense of estrangement or detachment from what has been routine for me for the past 6 months. Perhaps it is the sudden splurge of issues again, those I have thought were long gone, that made living in LA a far cry from being considered normal. I am still a mere tourist in the strange land, which served home to me for the longest time I’ve been away from home.
November 28, 2007
Comments on Ateneo de Manila University’s Performance in the 2007 THES-QS World University Rankings
Last year’s THES-QS World University Rankings caused quite a stir among university personnel in various parts of the world. In the Philippines, it became a big thing because of university rivalries. Ateneo de Manila University decided to come out with a statement because of the reactions of its alumni and other publics.
This year, the University of the Philippines Diliman (Rank 398) and the Ateneo de Manila University (Rank 451) are the only two Philippine universities in the top 500 (Tables 1 and 2). The Ateneo de Manila is the only Philippine university that increased its rankings (Table 2). We are happy to be in such a position, but perhaps, this is also the best time to reiterate what we have been saying about rankings, in general.
