University of Santo Tomas Remains ‘Oldest University in Asia’, Announces Bold Leap Into 20th Century
MANILA – University of Santo Tomas (UST) celebrates 22 consecutive years of being ranked the “Oldest University in Asia” by the Times Higher Education in the latest World University Rankings released Wednesday, while announcing a bold modernization initiative that includes installing electric fans in select classrooms and replacing several handwritten ledgers with state-of-the-art electric typewriters.
University officials hailed UST’s consistent antiquity ranking as proof that age isn’t just a number–it’s the institution’s entire personality.
“We’re thrilled that the world continues to recognize our unwavering commitment to remaining exactly as old as possible,” said Rector Richard G. Ang, O.P. while carefully stepping around a staircase that had reportedly been under restoration since the Spanish colonial period. “Innovation is important, but so is preserving the authentic experience of wondering whether that crack in the ceiling was there before class started.”
Photo: University of Santo Tomas Main Building, photographed in May, 2026.
UST students welcomed the news while navigating hallways lined with imposing Spanish-era buildings, whose weathered facades and peeling plaster have long inspired visitors to ask whether they were touring a university or an exceptionally well-preserved archaeological site.
“The architecture is breathtaking,” said Esperanza de los Santos, a Bachelor of Divinity sophomore. “Mainly because you’re constantly holding your breath whenever chunks of masonry fall off during afternoon lectures.”
Campus tours reportedly continue to emphasize the university’s centuries of uninterrupted academic excellence since its foundation in 1611, with guides proudly pointing out original stone walls, antique wooden doors, and windows that have been heroically resisting replacement since before electricity was widely available.
The administration’s modernization roadmap is expected to include:
- Installing oscillating electric fans in classrooms that currently rely on “crosswinds and divine providence.”
- Introducing electric typewriters to reduce paperwork turnaround from “several weeks” to “only a few days.”
- Replacing one of every four incandescent bulbs with an energy-efficient fluorescent tube.
- Upgrading the campus public-address system from “a priest shouting across the hall” to a functioning loudspeaker.
- Launching an online enrollment portal that asks students to print the completed webpage and submit it in triplicate.
Rector Ang reassured trustees and alumni that these ambitious reforms would not compromise the university’s historical character. “We understand concerns about moving too quickly,” he said. “That’s why the rollout will occur gradually over the next 50 years.”
The announcement reportedly sparked concern among preservationists, who warned that excessive modernization could endanger the institution’s signature ambiance of “organized historical endurance.”
To address those fears, university engineers confirmed that all new electric fans would be mounted in a manner that ensures they produce approximately the same amount of airflow as an elderly friar waving a palm leaf.
At press time, UST officials unveiled conceptual renderings of its futuristic “Smart Heritage Classrooms” featuring working electrical outlets, Wi-Fi available on alternate Tuesdays, and a chalkboard recently upgraded from “colonial black” to “slightly darker colonial black.”