JRU RENEWS ITS LEVEL III ACCREDITATION

When looking for a college or university, parents and students usually consider two important factors: quality of education and affordability of tuition fees. It is easy to know which school offers tuition fees that are within reach, however, figuring out which school provides quality education is more difficult.

One way to measure the quality of an educational institution is by knowing the level of the school’s accreditation. According to Dr. Vincent K. Fabella, president of Jose Rizal University (JRU), “To be sure with the quality of the school, you must go to a school with accreditation. Accreditation tells the public how good a school is.”

Meeting stringent standards

Accreditation is a process of assessing educational programs or educational institutions if they comply with certain acceptable standards of quality or excellence. In the country, the Federation of Accrediting Agencies in the Philippines (FAAP) is the CHED-recognized agency that is empowered to grant school accreditation. It consists of three accrediting bodies namely, the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities Commission on Accreditation (PACUCOA), the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges, and Universities (PAASCU), and the Association of Christian Schools and Colleges (ACSC).

The process of accreditation is no easy task. It is a life time endeavor – it only stops when a school closes down or when the accrediting body is gone. It is also a voluntary effort wherein the school applies for the granting of accreditation. A school is granted candidate status during application. If the school complies with the standards, it will be granted a full accreditation. The application process continues in an attempt to reach higher accreditation level. Levels of accreditation run from Level I-IV.

At present, roughly 8 percent of colleges and universities in the country enjoy full accreditation, thirty of which were granted Level-III accreditation. Jose
Rizal University has reconfirmed its membership in this elite list. From its Level-III accreditation in 1999, it is now awarded Level-III re-accreditation by FAAP through PACUCOA.

Seal of Quality and Excellence

Level-III accreditation is a seal of quality and excellence that measures nine areas, namely, purposes and objectives, faculty, instruction, laboratories, physical plant and facilities, library, social orientation and community involvement, student personnel services, organization and administration. JRU’s Level III- re-accreditation means it has maintained or exceeded standards in these areas. Even so, JRU continues to develop anew buildings, expand technology, and develop faculty.

The process of accreditation brought a lot of positive changes to JRU. According to Dr. Fabella, accreditation brought a lot more pride in the university. “We saw a higher student satisfaction result (because we do student satisfaction survey.) We also show an interest in the faculty to either get more masters or go into a PhD.” he added. At present, around 85% of JRU’s faculty members have either a Masteral or Doctoral Degree.

Maintaining accredited status has become part of JRU’s culture. A great amount of effort was exerted in order to reach the Level-III re-accreditation status. “The 15 year history of accreditation helped a lot in encouraging the JRU society – faculty, personnel, administration, and students – to continue improving” said Dr. Fabella. As a result, this seal of quality and excellence is also evident in its Elementary, High School, and Graduate School Departments. These departments are now Level-II accredited, and the university’s Masters in Public Administration program ranks among the top 5 in the country.

Living up the Commitment

JRU is known for its noble mission of producing graduates who will contribute to national development. Dr. Fabella believes that the way to fulfill this mission is to provide an opportunity for everyone to have a good university education. He said, “We care about education. Education must be affordable. “JRU is an institution that provides affordable quality education.”

JRU lives up to its three commitments – an education with a seal of quality rarely found elsewhere, an education that is affordable, and a fun journey. According to Ms. Tina Bate, JRU’s Guidance Counselor and VP for Basic Education, these commitments serve as keys to maintaining a high level of accreditation. “Excellence is something because you are committed to something. We are committed to affordable education and educating the people,” she said.

The Level-III re-accreditation status of JRU proves its sincere thrust of providing an education with a seal of quality. It strives to provide even better quality education through its unrelenting endeavor for development. As accreditation never stops, JRU continues to develop to achieve a higher level of accreditation. The university foresees applying for Level-IV accreditation in 2-3 years. JRU is now focused on improving faculty and improving research as these are some of the measures for the Level-IV accreditation. For more information on JRU, log on to www.jru.edu.ph.

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