The University of the Immaculate Conception now savors ASEAN’s University Network – Quality Assurance (AUN-QA) most sought-after certification, a document certifying the University’s quality of education and processes. The AUN-QA Network is established as the ASEAN quality assurance network in higher education with the responsibility to promote quality assurance in higher education institutions, raise the quality of higher education, and collaborate with both regional and international bodies to benefit the ASEAN community. (Source: AUN-QA Guide to AUN-QA Assessment at Programme Level v.3.0)

Among the 120 AUN-QA associate members in Asia, UIC is granted recognition. UIC is one of the few universities to receive such prided certification in the Philippine archipelago and the first outside the National Capital Region (NCR).

The report disclosed to the Institutional Quality Assurance Officer, Dr. Jo-Ann Y. Solomon, on January 11, 2021, divulged that the four programme level assessment, namely Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Bachelor of Elementary Education, Bachelor of Secondary Education, and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration obtained an over-all rating of Adequate as Expected. This means that all the 11 criteria: Expected Learning Outcomes, Programme Specification, Programme Structure and Content, Teaching and Learning Approach, Student Assessment, Academic Staff Support, Support Staff Quality, Student Quality and Support, Facilities and Infrastructure, Quality Enhancement, and Output show consistent results as expected. The report is based on the information provided in the self-assessment report (SAR), evidence, virtual site tour, and interviews with selected stakeholders, including academic and support staff, students, alumni, and employers.

The online/remote assessment visit happened last November 23-27, 2020, where eight ASEAN assessors perused the abovesaid criteria and verified the claims in the SAR concerning observed practices, existing supporting documents, and virtual interviews among stakeholders.

To further improve the University’s quality of education, the University President, S. Ma. Marissa R. Viri, RVM, with much gratitude, spoke that she is thankful for the collaborative efforts exerted by the members of the academic community headed by the Vice-President for Academics and Institutional Quality Assurance Officer, Dr. Jo-Ann Y. Solomon, to look into the recommendations and find necessary actions to address areas needed for improvement.

The said certification is an additional gem to UIC’s glory, which epitomizes the University’s vision and importance of quality in higher education to develop a holistic quality assurance system to raise academic standards and enhance teaching, research, production, and service.