The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) is considering the expansion of its graduate scholarship program in advanced sciences to other universities in the Visayas and Mindanao to ensure that researchers outside Metro Manila will be given equal opportunity to enhance their research skills.

The Philippine Council for Advanced Science and Technology Research and Development (PCASTRD) research information and utilization division chief Dr. Virginia Novenario – Enriquez said more schools in Visayas and Mindanao will be added to the roster of colleges and universities accredited in DoST’s Advanced Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program (ASTHRDP) in the next few years.

“As task manager, we proposed the involvement of institutions outside Metro Manila to be part of the delivery system in education and advanced training of the scholars… We would like to expand our delivering institutions,” Enriquez said, adding that it will be an added option to scholar graduate students on where to finish their Master of Science (MS) and doctorate (PhD) degrees.

This will also allow the decongestion of scholars in universities based in the National Capital Region (NCR) as most of the accredited universities are based in the metropolis.

“The whole idea is to make it easy for scholars to get their graduate studies done,” she added.

Among the new institutions being eyed by PCASTRD to be part of ASTHRDP include Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental; University of the Philippines Visayas Miag-ao campus in Iloilo; University of Southern Mindanao in Kabakan, South Cotabato; and Central Mindanao University in Musuan, Bukidnon.

The selected institutions will be part of DoST’s delivery system in education and advanced training of scholars. The selection will be based on the Commission on Higher Education’s list of Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development and a separate evaluation by PCASTRD on the institution’s human resource capability, facilities, and its potential for research.

“The institution should have evidence of capability to produce research personnel,” Enriquez said.

ASTHRDP is a human resource development program of DoST aimed at increasing the country’s needed science and technology manpower.

Among the universities accredited under the ASTHRDP include the UP – Diliman and UP Los Banos, University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University, Ateneo de Manila University, Central Luzon State University, and Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology.

DoST is targeting to produce 300 Master of Science (MS) and PhD graduates in various S&T fields by 2010.