The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) awarded autonomous status to STI West Negros University (STIWNU) following a thorough evaluation of 10 key areas by the Evaluation Team of Experts and the Technical Working Group. STIWNU successfully passed both the preliminary evaluation and final validation stages.
According to a press release, the university’s performance was assessed based on several criteria, including commitment to program excellence, excellence in instruction, scholarly works, and community engagement, as well as institutional quality and excellence.
These criteria are measured by factors such as the percentage of programs with an above-national passing rate in licensure examinations, the percentage of employed graduates, the average graduation rate, the percentage of full-time faculty engaged in scholarly work, and the extension programs or services addressing community needs. It also includes the number of active and relevant international, local, and institutional partnerships.
CHED Memorandum Order No. 06 Series of 2023 emphasizes that granting autonomous and deregulated status is an ongoing initiative of the Commission to align itself with global standards of quality assurance, recognition, and accreditation. Therefore, its recent review has taken a contemporary approach to align quality indicators with local and global advancements in higher education, while also considering the natural evolution of concepts through practical application.
Atty. Monico Jacob, Chief Executive Officer and President of STI Education Systems Holdings, Inc., said during the strategic planning in 2015, the university envisioned itself to be a leading university in Negros Island, highlighted by its autonomous status with centers of excellence and centers of development.
“Among the goals were to promote academic excellence by establishing centers of excellence and development, be the preferred school for basic education, develop better professionals through exceptional continuing education, establish visibility in Asia and create a research-driven academic community,” explained Jacob.
Dr. Ryan Mark Molina, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of STIWNU, said the strategy employed was to aim for academic excellence, building volume, and building the brand. “It is because of these objectives that the university has been very proactive in subjecting its programs to accreditation and ISO audits. It also has poured investment into facilities, research, and community engagement programs,” shared Molina.*
