FIVE PROGRAMS from the College of Science were granted anew the highest level of accreditation by the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP), the central network of accrediting agencies in the country.
The applied mathematics major in actuarial science, biology, chemistry, microbiology and psychology programs received the Level 4 re-accreditated status, valid until November 2021.
College of Science Dean John Donnie Ramos said the FAAP decision validated the high quality of education delivered by the College of Science to its students.
“We believe [that] through accreditation, we can actually improve on our services…how our teachers are equipped with pedagogy, their teaching skills, and at the same time [their] research ability,” Ramos said.
Level 4 status means “full autonomy” for the program for the duration of its accredited status. It enables school administrators to offer new graduate programs and open learning or distance education and extension classes related to existing Level 4 courses, without prior approval of the Commission on Higher Education.
Under the accreditation process, schools are assessed based on purpose and objectives, faculty, instruction, library, laboratory, physical plant and facilities, student personnel services, social orientation and community involvement, and administration and organization.
The College of Science is the first college in UST to receive Level 4 accreditation. It was also the first in the University to get Level 3 status, in 2006.
FAAP was established in 1977 and is authorized by the Commission on Higher Education to certify the levels of accredited programs for the purpose of granting progressive deregulation and other benefits.
