Toon Boom Partnership Expands Creative Opportunities for Benildeans

20 August 2025

De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde has officially partnered with Toon Boom Animation Inc., a global leader in animation software, to strengthen hands-on training and open up more creative opportunities for Benildeans.

The partnership was sealed through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed at the Atrium. It builds on Benilde’s status as a Toon Boom Center of Excellence (COE), a recognition the College first earned in 2022 for its strong animation curriculum and use of professional tools in the classroom.

The agreement paves the way for deeper collaboration between Benilde and Toon Boom, including faculty certification, student internships, curriculum enhancement, and access to professional-grade software and training. These efforts are designed to align academic learning with industry standards and prepare students for global creative careers.

Toon Boom is best known for its animation tools Harmony and Storyboard Pro, used by major studios like Disney Television Animation, Bento Box Entertainment, and Toei Animation. Through the partnership, Benildeans will get hands-on access to these tools, learning how to bring stories to life using the same platforms as top professionals.

The partnership strengthens Benilde’s Bachelor of Arts in Animation by supporting studio-style classes, hands-on training, and mentorship from active professionals. Students learn to develop original Filipino content while building the skills and confidence to thrive in the creative industry. With access to professional tools and real-world guidance, they graduate ready to tell meaningful stories and take on the challenges of the field.

In Academic Year 2024-2025, Benilde also launched the Associates in Animation (AiA) program, a spinoff program that focuses on foundational skills and a mentor-apprentice approach. AiA students explore different animation mediums like stop-motion, 2D, 3D, and virtual reality, and complete a practicum to gain real-world experience.

The Toon Boom partnership adds to Benilde’s growing network of global creative leaders. Just this June, the College became the first Adobe Creative Campus in the Philippines, joining a select group of schools worldwide recognized for advancing digital fluency and creativity across disciplines. Students and faculty now have access to Adobe Express Premium and Adobe Creative Cloud, with tools and certification pathways integrated into programs like Animation, Game Design, and Applied Deaf Studies.

Together with the College’s Apple Distinguished School status, these recognitions show that Benilde is serious about giving students the tools, support, and creative freedom to thrive in a fast-changing world.

With support from Toon Boom, Adobe, and Apple, Benilde continues to shape one of the most competitive and forward-looking animation programs in the country, giving students the tools, training, and confidence to thrive in the creative industry.

For more information on Benilde’s undergraduate programs, contact us at (63) 2 8230 5100 local 1801 or admissions@benilde.edu.ph. You may also visit our website at www.benilde.edu.ph.

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