The University of Batangas (UB) continues to solidify its reputation for academic excellence, having once again been granted Autonomous Status by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). This distinction, formalized through CHED Memorandum Order No. 07, series of 2024, and signed by CHED Chairman J. Prospero E. De Vera III, DPA, is valid from September 16, 2024 to September 15, 2027.
The Autonomous Status is one of the highest recognitions CHED can award to private higher education institutions (PHEIs), showcasing UB’s commitment to delivering quality education and maintaining institutional autonomy in governance, curriculum design, and operations. Pursuant to the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the state is tasked to exercise reasonable supervision and regulation of all educational institutions, and the Autonomous Status represents the highest degree of trust the government places in an institution.
This latest designation aligns with the provisions of Republic Act No. 7722, also known as the “Higher Education Act of 1994,” as well as CHED Memorandum Orders No. 6, series of 2023 or “Policies and Guidelines for the Grant of Autonomous and Deregulated Status to Private Higher Education Institutions,” and No. 12, series of 2023 or “Supplemental Policies and Guidelines for the Grant of Autonomous and Deregulated Status to Private Higher Education Institutions.” These policies govern the guidelines for the grant of autonomous and deregulated status to private institutions to ensure that only institutions demonstrating exemplary performance and consistent adherence to CHED standards are awarded such recognition.
For this cycle, the evaluation period covered institutional achievements and performance from July 1, 2019 to September 15, 2023. Despite pandemic-related constraints that affected many PHEIs in meeting certain performance indicators, UB has proven resilient, continually striving for excellence in its academic offerings and operational governance. The university’s ability to maintain this prestigious status attests to its quality education, institutional stability, and leadership in higher education.
As UB looks ahead to the next three years under Autonomous Status, it is expected to continue serving as a model institution, meeting the evolving educational demands while promoting innovation and academic freedom. The university’s administration, faculty, and students take pride in this achievement, which reaffirms UB’s standing as a leader in higher education, not just in CALABARZON but in the Philippines.