Dr. Nicomedes B. Alviar, Dean of the UA&P School of Politics and Governance (SPG), served as guest speaker at the plenary session of the 2025 Academic Research Colloquia hosted by the Faculty of Arts and Letters of the University of Santo Tomas (UST) on November 24, 2025, at the Thomas Aquinas Research Complex Auditorium.

The annual colloquia was organized for UST’s fourth-year students across 13 undergraduate programs. This year’s theme, “Strengthening Thomasian Values through Research and Mentorship Amidst the 21st Century Technology in the Social Sciences and Humanities,” set the tone for discussions aimed at cultivating scholarly rigor and ethical leadership among emerging researchers.

In his plenary address, Dr. Alviar—a graduate of UST's BA Asian Studies program—emphasized the critical role of research in shaping socially grounded and technologically adaptive scholars. He highlighted how mentorship and value-oriented inquiry remain essential pillars in navigating rapidly evolving technological landscapes.

The plenary session gathered administrators, faculty members, support staff, and select students from the Faculty of Arts and Letters.

Dr. Nicomedes B. Alviar.

Dr. Alviar (center) with (L-R) Prof. Jazztin Jairum P. Manalo, Coordinator for Research and Thesis Management of the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters, and  Prof. Dennis Coronacion, PhD, Chair of the Political Science Department of the UST Faculty of Arts and Letters.