THE University of Santo Tomas (UST) maintained its status in 2020 as having the highest number of accredited programs in both the National Capital Region (NCR) and the Philippines with 48 programs, according to the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA).
The Royal and Pontifical University was recognized for five achievements during the 31st General Assembly of PACUCOA through an online conference on December 4, 2020, with the theme, “Quality Assurance in a Digital World.”
The oldest Catholic learning institution in Asia also remained as the only one with the highest number of Level IV-reaccredited programs at 26 in the Philippines, and the one with the highest number of candidate programs in the country. UST was also commended for having the first Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship program at Level-III Reaccredited Status in NCR.
PACUCOA’s five-level accreditation system has Level IV as its highest. Among the criteria assessed are teaching and learning outcomes, research productivity, community service, linkages and consortia, career planning and development for students, as well as the planning process.
For the duration of the accredited status, UST—as a higher-education institution—has full autonomy for the Level IV program, and has the authority to offer new graduate programs allied to existing Level IV programs.