WHILE many public universities have struggled to stay afloat in these challenging times, the City of Malabon University (CMU) found itself on a new trail, as it has now innovated into becoming a local economic enterprise (LEE) contributing to the income of the city through its various income-generating services.
“This [development] was really something that the management wanted to do to contribute to the city,” said Engr. Sheila Ibay-Villanueva, CMU vice president for Institutional Development and External Affairs. “Since the university can generate additional income, we are able to create more [tailor fit] programs…that will contribute to the needs of the industry and the progress of the community.”
To realize CMU’s vision, a technical team conducted feasibility studies on converting the school into an LEE. They yielded positive results, as the university’s team started creating a business plan immediately. Then came the presentation of their proposal to both university and local government stakeholders.
By operating as an LEE, CMU strives to achieve academic freedom, organizational autonomy, and human-resource autonomy—all of which will also benefit the students, faculty members, and nonteaching staff.
Revenue-generating programs such as creating instructional materials for graduates and professionals, conducting certificate courses marketed to industries intended for executives, as well as continuing education for professionals are some of the sustainable ways supporting CMU, enabling it to generate additional funds.
Global future for CMU students
THERE are significant benefits for the students, said Engr. Ibay-Villanueva: “Most significant would be the expansion of the facilities and improvement of the overall learning experience of the students, allowing CMU graduates to become competitive in the jobs market, ready [to take on] the challenges of the global economy.”
Another notable benefit of being an LEE is the improvement of the physical infrastructure and learning materials that are crucial to ensuring quality education. Students can also access an advanced learning-management system, which exposes them to the best of online learning.
Since few public educational institutions go into becoming an LEE, CMU aims to be a pioneer and leader for other schools to emulate, especially to those who want to follow in its footsteps. For more details, visit cityofmalabonuniversity.edu.ph.