Junior Term Abroad (JTA) is a program of Ateneo de Manila’s John Gokongwei School of Management wherein qualified applicants are given a chance to study in partner schools abroad for a period of 4-5 months. Applicants are screened by the Dean and ranked primarily according to their grades while involvement in extra-curricular activities and having leadership experiences are also considered. The JTA rank of a successful applicant will be his key towards choosing his preferred school. This year (2008), the qualified applicants are given a wide range of options as they are presented different schools in eleven countries, namely Australia, Austria, China (including Hong Kong & Macau), France, Japan, Korea, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Taiwan, USA.

According to Rudy Ang, the current Dean of the School of Management who is the pioneer of JTA, the program aims to develop leaders who are global in perspective who possess the values of independence, discipline, self-confidence, greater maturity, and cross-cultural sensitivity and has a deeper sense of self and nation. To enable more students to participate in the program, the Dean promises applicants of graduating on time by undergoing the infamous 2 JTA Semesters in the revised academic calendar. In addition, the concern of applicants regarding expenses is also given solution by the Dean through having scholarship grants, tuition-waived and tuition-discounted slots.

For the JTA participants who have gone home to the Philippines after their stay abroad, the decision of joining the JTA is something that they do not regret and the good stories they share to others about their experience makes the program something what every SOM Major look forward to.