Ar. John Joseph T. Fernandez, UAP, PIA, IAAIA Vice President for Academic Affairs Dean, School of Architecture and OIC Dean, School of Engineering

Ar. John Joseph T. Fernandez is a distinguished academic leader and practitioner whose career bridges architectural excellence, academic governance, and professional leadership at the national and international levels.

Before assuming his leadership roles at Manuel L. Quezon University, Ar. Fernandez served for over a decade as Dean of the College of Architecture of University of Santo Tomas (2006–2017), one of the country’s most established and respected architecture schools. Under his stewardship, the College strengthened its academic standards, modernized its curriculum, advanced digital and technological integration in design education, and deepened its industry and global linkages. His tenure further elevated UST Architecture’s reputation for producing board-ready, industry-responsive graduates grounded in both heritage consciousness and contemporary design innovation.

At UST, he also served as Associate Professor, College Secretary, and Coordinator for Computer Graphics, contributing significantly to academic systems development and technology integration in architectural pedagogy.

Beyond academe, Ar. Fernandez is an accomplished practitioner and executive. He leads multiple enterprises, including hospitality, food service, and medical ventures, reflecting his strong grasp of business, operations, and development planning. His architectural portfolio spans hospitals, university buildings, campus master plans, churches, civic monuments, and mixed-use developments across the Philippines.

A Fellow of the United Architects of the Philippines, he has held key national positions including National Treasurer and Secretary General, and served as Executive Director of the UAP Commission on Education. Internationally, he represented the Philippines in the Architects Regional Council of Asia (ARCASIA) and served as Vice Chairman of the ASEAN Architecture Education Committee. He is also an International Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects.

His academic credentials include a Master of Science in Architecture (Cum Laude) from UST, a Professional Diploma in Conservation of Heritage Buildings from Lund University (Sweden), advanced studies in Public School Planning at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, and ongoing doctoral studies in Education Management. He is presently teaching Heritage Conservation, reflecting his continued commitment to advancing specialized knowledge in architectural preservation and cultural heritage.

Today, as Vice President for Academic Affairs of MLQU and Dean of its School of Architecture, Ar. Fernandez brings to the University a rare combination of academic governance experience, professional credibility, global engagement, and entrepreneurial insight, positioning MLQU to strengthen its design and engineering programs with rigor, relevance, and forward-looking vision.