USJ-R is once again recognized as one of the leading educational institutions in the country in the field of information technology (IT).
This after the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) elevated the university’s College of Information, Computer and Communications Technology (CICCT) to the status of Center of Excellence in IT education.
“It’s a validation of what have we done for the past years in terms of our pursuit for academic excellence,” said CICCT dean Dr. Gregg Victor Gabison. CHED previously designated CICCT as Center of Development in IT in 2007.
Center of Excellence (COE) is a status granted to institutions “which continuously demonstrate excellent performance in the areas of instruction, research and publication, extension and linkages and institutional qualifications.”
The COE status for IT education covers the programs offered under CICCT, namely: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, BS Information Technology, and BS Information System.
The designation, according to CHED, aims to “sustain and develop excellence of higher education institutions by enhancing their teaching, research and service programs to further nation building and national development.”
“The title itself is a recognition, but it also entails responsibility,” Dr. Gabison said. “We will act as a big brother to the other schools in the region to help them improve their program offerings as well.”
It would be done, he said, by USJ-R spearheading activities for other schools in the region to be sponsored by CHED geared toward the development of the IT program.
“We are expected to turn out some research results, something that’s novel and would contribute to the community,” he said.
He revealed that CICCT got the designation on account of its strength, which are research and publication, instructional quality, facilities, and extension and linkages.
He said professors and students continually produce innovative ideas and technologies that have been presented in national and international conferences. They address, among other things, online security, gaming, and predictive model of education through data mining and analytics.
“In terms of facilities, we are really well equipped here at USJ-R,” he said. “We even have a dedicated research and development facility which is a requirement for COE because once you get the funding from CHED, you should have a dedicated facility where you can work on them.”
He added that USJ-R also got a boost from its good performance in the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU) accreditation.
The dean said the CHED designation is one proof that taking up IT-related programs at USJ-R is a good investment.
“Whatever you spend for your education here, you can be assured that you are getting your money’s worth,” he said.
Text by IPA; photo by Yoland Yap
