The Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP), Inc. granted Level IV reaccreditation to four College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) programs of Cebu Normal University (CNU).
The recertified programs were (1) Bachelor of Sciences major in Biology, Chemistry-Physics, and Mathematics; (2) Bachelor of Arts major in English-Literature, Political Science; (3) Master of Arts in Public Administration/Master of Public Administration, and (4) Doctor of Public Administration.
Due to the constraints posed by the pandemic, the accreditation visit was pushed through online last November 30 to Dec. 3, 2020. High-ranking quality assurance offices and academic officers of their respective institutions served as the accreditors who are adept at determining the best practices of the university.
Through the efforts of the dean, program chairs, and college QAs, the preparation of necessary documents and the set-up and monitoring of the online platform were facilitated to ensure a smooth-sailing online accreditation visit.
According to Presidential Assistant for Quality Assurance Mrs. Ma. Mayla Imelda Lapa, one of the challenges encountered during the preparation was the retrieval of documents.
“Most of the committee members on accreditation were on work from home, some have co-morbidities which limits their travel from their house to school. However, there were still some who braved the possibility of contracting the infection and traveled from their home to CNU in order to retrieve documents and submit these on time for the accreditation visit,” she stated.
When asked about the significance of CAS’ reaccreditation, Lapa added that it ensures CNU programs are compliant with CHED standards, a competitive advantage in the international arena of Higher Education Institution (HEI), and puts a stamp of approval on graduates.
“It provides educational programs with opportunities for self-definition and self-reflection, and with feedback on program content and direction. It allows those engaged in education aware of standards of excellence which they should strive to attain… [and] the opportunity for continuous improvement…,” she said.
Word by Lorille Antoinette Mata
Layout by Jezza Mae Jumamil
