The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) granted, once again, autonomous status to Saint Louis University, valid until September 2027. This was released through CHED Memorandum Order No. 07, series of 2024, dated 16 September 2024. This status affirms SLU’s commitment to pursuing and maintaining academic excellence.
The University’s performance and achievements from 01 July 2019 to 15 September 2023 were evaluated according to three criteria outlined in CHED Memorandum No. 6, series of 2023, namely: Commitment to Program Excellence; Excellence in Instruction, Scholarly Works, and Community Engagements; and Institutional Quality and Excellence.
Aside from submitting all required permits and documents, to be granted autonomous status, higher education institutions (HEIs) must earn points for each criterion and must have a minimum combined score of 80 points.
An autonomous status allows HEIs like SLU to independently create new degree programs and change curricula without securing permits. HEIs are also free from CHED’s monitoring and evaluation activities while complying with the submission of requested data for CHED’s data gathering and updating of its management information systems and projects.
Moreover, the HEIs granted autonomous status are given the privilege to establish connections with recognized foreign HEIs.
Through attainment of this status, SLU strengthens its standards for education in direct alignment with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 4 on Quality Education. (Article by Katrina Garcia, UIO Intern)
