From one Filipino’s academic journey to your own CUHK experience
With the advent of digital technology, the world has turned into one global village that has suddenly become easily accessible. Travelling to different countries has become an emerging trend, vistas have expanded and even opting to study abroad has lately been increasingly popular among students. Some Filipino students grab opportunities to earn an international education to expand their academic horizons, gain access to world-class campus facilities, develop a fresh perspective, acquire enhanced knowledge and skills, and be exposed to a new culture. Studying abroad can truly develop one’s personality, language proficiency, and allow individuals to meet new and multicultural people from all over the world, making them more open-minded, self-confident, and understanding, as they learn to adapt to an environment far different from what they grew up in. As a result, Filipinos return to their home country with improved career opportunities because of their international education and credentials.
Josef Adriel De Guzman (Jad) is one of those who didn’t hesitate to step out of his comfort zone to study abroad. His journey began with a casual walk during a vacation in Hong Kong, where he found himself captivated by the vibrant Filipino community that gathered there. This eventually fueled a defining chapter of his academic career when he instantly decided to pursue an international education in the same country. Currently completing his PhD in Anthropology at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), De Guzman admitted that the choice to pursue his postgraduate degree in Hong Kong was, by far, the best decision he has ever made.
De Guzman’s academic journey
De Guzman confessed that like any international students in Hong Kong or anywhere in the world, the journey to achieving academic goals is quite challenging—temporarily leaving home, adjusting to an entirely different environment, culture, language, among many other transitions—but his hard work and dedication to his chosen degree program is slowly taking shape. He graduated with a degree in Behavioral Sciences from the University of the Philippines in 2014, completed his master’s degree in Anthropology, in the same state university in 2019, before leaving Manila to pursue his international education in CUHK.
De Guzman’s research explores the relationship between Filipino migrants and their food culture in Hong Kong. Through his fieldwork, he has developed a close bond with his informants, to the extent that they organised a birthday party for him during one of his visits
Anthropology is quite an interesting and all-encompassing program, being the scientific study of humanity, covering human behavior, biology, culture, society, and language. To achieve a deep connection with all these concepts, continuing one’s postgraduate education in a foreign land is ideal, and that was exactly what De Guzman pursued. “I developed my interest in anthropology after some fieldwork among the Aeta of Zambales and a brief internship at the National Museum of the Philippines as an undergraduate. While teaching at the University of the Philippines, I also studied for my master’s in anthropology, where I conducted fieldwork among Filipino migrants in Hong Kong to explore how food can be used as a cultural lens to understand how migrant identities change and develop. My main research interests are migration, archaeology, material culture studies, and the anthropology of food and eating. I am particularly interested in how culture develops as a result of movement or change and how this process can be understood by examining the changes with how we interact with our social and material worlds, such as through the people we meet, the objects we use, or the food that we eat,” De Guzman explained.
These photos were captured during De Guzman’s fieldwork, where informants generously shared their stories and culinary traditions
Like many international students anywhere in the world, De Guzman’s academic journey has been peppered with challenges—from homesickness and adjustment to a totally different environment to language and cultural barriers—but his deep-rooted passion for Anthropology and the support system from other Filipino students have seen him through and made him thrive. Currently, and because of his desire to prove how food interconnects people and culture, his research and fieldwork delves into the Filipino migrant workers’ food culture in Hong Kong. He observes and works around where they go to gather and eat, noting a list of restaurants and grocery stores where they frequently visit, and he does this with combined field work, food journal, and photography to create a beautiful and historic cultural tapestry that will paint the mark the Filipino culture and the daily life for Filipino migrants in Hong Kong
As a former faculty in the Philippines, and now a researcher and migrant in Hong Kong, De Guzman’s stint as a CUHK student has challenged his preconceptions about the Filipino diaspora. “I used to think that Filipinos here were really starved for Filipino cuisine—that we must be homesick and miss the food back in the Philippines. But then I realized that that’s not necessarily the case because again, it’s actually quite accessible if you know where to look,” he revealed. His immersion in the local Filipino community, De Guzman has witnessed first-hand the strong support networks that help migrants create a home away from home. These personal observations have added depth to his academic research, illustrating the value of experiential learning in postgraduate studies.
In the CUHK Philippine Studies Interdisciplinary Reading Group, De Guzman and other CUHK’s Filipino scholars coming from diverse academic backgrounds get together to explore and discuss various topics facing the Filipino community
“My supervisor, and to a larger extent, the entire Department of Anthropology at CUHK, were very supportive,” he shares. Through initiatives such as the CUHK Philippine Studies Interdisciplinary Reading Group, De Guzman regularly connects with other CUHK-affiliated Filipino scholars from various disciplines to discuss topics relevant to the Filipino community. Indeed, the opportunities at CUHK have proven invaluable for De Guzman’s academic and personal growth, further cementing his well-thought-of decision to pursue his postgraduate education abroad.
The CUHK advantage
De Guzman is a personal testimony how CUHK has always been renowned for its dedication to research excellence. Ranked 32nd in the World (QS World University Ranking 2026), the University’s prowess spans diverse fields, with 22 subjects—including Anthropology—currently placed in the top 30 worldwide in multiple global subject rankings. In fact, its scholars are globally renowned experts who have made significant breakthroughs in their respective research areas.
CUHK offers over 230 postgraduate programs in various disciplines to cater for the different needs of students, ranging from research degrees of PhD, MPhil to Taught Doctoral and Master’s degrees, PG Diplomas and PG Certificates. Recognized for its dedication to research excellence, CUHK fosters an ideal environment for aspiring students to engage in impactful projects and knowledge exchange. Apart from its world-class library and cutting-edge research facilities, CUHK also provides abundant resources and support, empowering every student to excel in their individual intellectual goals.
When considering this path, students recognize the substantial investment required; however, they are confident that investing in further education at CUHK will yield significant returns that will benefit their personal and professional goals. Apart from the various financial resources at a student’s disposal, the University also provides a Postgraduate Studentship available to all full-time MPhil and PhD students within their normative study period. Scholarships and funding schemes such as the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme (HKPFS) and Belt and Road Scholarship are also available to research postgraduate students. In particular, the HKPFS package offered by CUHK is valued at over US$230,000 for the entire study period. This comprehensive package covers tuition fee waiver, stipend, lodging award, conference and research-related allowance (https://www.gs.cuhk.edu.hk/admissions/scholarships-fees/hkpfs).
For Filipino students contemplating studying at CUHK, De Guzman assured that Hong Kong—and CUHK in particular—has one of the most generous offers for graduate students in terms of the support it gives. “Not just the overseas activities support I mentioned earlier, but also the actual stipend. It gives you more than enough to cover the cost of living in Hong Kong and allows you to focus on your studies,” he concluded, offering reassurance to those weighing their options.
CUHK continues to invest in high quality education and maintains high academic standards, making it one the most sought-after destinations by international students and particularly by Filipinos. If you’re interested in knowing more about the University, join the upcoming “CUHK Postgraduate Virtual Info Week 2025” on 20-31 October 2025, to virtually meet the Dean of CUHK Graduate School and other Faculty representatives who will introduce you to CUHK’s postgraduate programs, scholarships and various opportunities. For more information and registration, visit the CUHK website.
INQUIRER.net BrandRoom/JC
