Founded in 1611, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Philippines, is the oldest-existing university in Asia existing for more than four hundred years and the largest Catholic university in the world in terms of student population in a single campus. Nestled in the heart of Manila, UST is a private institution of higher learning and has been consistently recognized for its excellence in instruction, groundbreaking research, and extensive community service. UST has grown into an exceptional institution with 19 faculties and holds the distinction of three honorable titles: “Royal” granted by King Charles III of Spain in 1785, “Pontifical” bestowed by Pope Leo XII in 1902, and “The Catholic University of the Philippines” conferred by Pope Pius XII in 1947.

Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P., Rector of the University of Santo Tomas, was elected as the new Executive Secretary of the Association of Southeast and East Asian Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) beginning from August 30, 2015. Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan transferred the Secretariat to the University of Santo Tomas during the 23^rd ASEACCU conference held in Semarang, Indonesia.