05 June 2013, 12:02 a.m. – FIVE UST programs were formally declared Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) last June 4.
UST’s Philosophy and Music programs were named COEs, while Literature, Journalism and Psychology were named CODs. The CHEd recognition will be effective until May 2014.
CHEd, which oversees the country’s public and private colleges and universities, deems these centers as having “demonstrated the highest degree or level of standard along the areas of instruction, research and extension.”
CHEd Chairperson Patricia Licunan said getting the coveted COE or COD status is both an honor and a responsibility.
“They are expected to be centers of graduate education. They are also expected to help other schools who are in the same region,” Licuanan said in a chance interview at the sidelines of the awarding ceremonies at the CHEd Auditorium in Quezon City.
Programs of other universities, including the University of the Philippines-Diliman, Ateneo de Manila and De La Salle University, were also named COEs and CODs.
The CHEd ceremonies covered humanities, social sciences and communication programs such as History, Sociology, Filipino, English and Political Science.
UST has seven other programs with COD status. These are Physical Therapy, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Mechanical Engineering.
The Biology, Chemistry, Medicine, Nursing and Teacher Education programs of UST are COEs.
Programs with the COD or COE status may get financial assistance for projects evaluated and approved by CHEd. The CHEd website states that funds can be used for student scholarships, faculty development, library and laboratory upgrading, research and extension services, instructional materials development and networking. Lord Bien G. Lelay
