Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Study at the Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT)
Here are my ten compiled reasons why one should enroll at one of the most prestigious universities in the Philippines - our glorious Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology. (For the requirements on how to enroll check out MSU-IIT’s website here).
10 – FREE & AFFORDABLE TUITION FEES
Definitely, one of MSU-IIT’s pluses; various scholarships offered by sponsors are recognized and accepted by the university. Some courses offer no tuition fee with stipend for students belonging to the Top 150 passers of the MSU-Special Assessment Student Examinations (MSU SASE).
An academic unit only costs Php 100 ($2). No wonder why a lot of foreign students choose our alma mater.
9 – VARIOUS ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
To live with its commitment, MSU-IIT offers students a wide array of more than 115 academic programs, which include 43 graduate programs in a variety of fields including education, business, arts and humanities, engineering, information technology, the natural sciences, and mathematics.
Students are given opportunities to collaborate with more than 400 distinguished full-time faculty members passionate about teaching, research, extension, and community development.
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| MSU-IITian graduates proudly wear their graduation gowns. |
8 – STALWART FACULTY FORCE
MSU-IIT has the largest concentration of doctoral and master’s degree holders in its faculty, more than any university or college in Mindanao. I even remember my teacher, Dr. Hilton Aguja joking about IIT “having the most doctoral degree holders in the world… per square kilometer”. (IIT merely measures 14 hectares).
The university currently has a total of 557 members in its faculty as of 1st Sem., AY 2010-11 composed of (96 Doctoral degree holders, 304 Master’s degree holders, and 157 Bachelor’s degree holders). MSU-IIT offers a total of 116 academic programs (10 Doctorate, 35 Master’s, 2 Graduate certificates, 47 Bachelor’s degrees, and 22 Diploma).
7 – EFFERVESCENT RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT
MSU-IIT has an effervescent research environment, too. There were a total of 65 researches: 17 were completed, 39 ongoing, 9 were newly started, and 6 big studies were actually funded. Research results and papers delivered by faculty members in national and international fora were published in national and international journals and monographs for wide dissemination.
6 – NUMEROUS EXTENSION PROJECTS
One hundred thirty (130) extension projects were conducted by different Academic Units as well as by the Department of Extension in Iligan City and Lanao del Norte. An example would be the Department of Political Science’s Sagip-Aral Project which helps poor but deserving elementary students living near the city landfill. Another extension project of the said department (where I belong) is the Bayug Mangrove Project which aims to plant and nurture new mangroves that would serve as an abode to aquatic wildlife on Iligan City’s coastlines.
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| Political Science students planting mangroves on the coast of Bayug Island. |
For Mindanao’s peace and development, Institute of Peace and Development for Mindanao (IPDM) is the most effective and productive Peace Center in the entire MSU System and in the academic institutions of Mindanao.
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| Student volunteers distributing relief goods for the Lanao Conflict in 2008. |
5 – ABODE OF THE MSU-IIT MULTI-PURPOSE COOPERATIVE
MSU-IIT is the only academic institution in the country with the most vibrant, nationally recognized, and successful SC Coop. The MSU-IIT Multi Purpose Cooperative now has 11 branches, 28,000 members, and a half billion-peso-asset.
4 – HOME OF QUALITY GRADUATES
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| The vicious Math 17 of MSU-IIT finally shows in one of the students' Facebook accounts. |
One of the measures to determine the quality of a university is the success of its alumni. Although we don’t know what many of the IIT alumni are doing today or where they are now, the ones that we hear from or whose employers keep in touch with us have very impressive performances.
The following is the list of the MSU IIT Alumni and the following Facebook Groups that convenes for the Annual Alumni Homecoming every July 12. You may click the various divisions to redirect you to their respective Facebook page.
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| This proud MSU-IIT alumna wears her tee on Davao City's Kadayawan Festival. |
3 – HOME OF THE TOPNOTCHERS AND AWARD-WINNERS
It would seem like a mistake for the university not to have topnotchers for the engineering licensure exams each year. May it be in Ceramics, Civil, Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Mechanical, and Metallurgical Engineering – MSU-IIT always is in the topnotch universities' cluster.
We also had topnotchers in business administration courses and education. Name it, we have it. Mylene Macumbal of MSU College of Law – Iligan Extension who was at the Top 2 on the 2009 Bar Exams, was also a topnotcher in the CPA Exam at this university. I also remember Miss Irene Te, ranking second in the CPA exams a few years back. Just recently, Dr. Ryan Balili received the international Gallieno Denardo physics award for his work on semiconductor optics.
And who would not forget MSU-IIT’s debating stint two years ago? MSU-IIT’s all-girl team defeated University of Santo Tomas and the University of the Philippines in the televised Frankahan Debate Championships at ANC. On January 28, 2009, IIT won against UP Diliman in the Frankahan Debates in ANC.
2 – NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED
MSU-IIT’s College of Arts and Sciences is home to Palanca Award winners. Yearly, the university hosts the Iligan National Writers Workshop (INWW) which started almost twenty years ago gathering fellows from all over the country for close mentoring. It is now sanctioned by the National Center for Culture and the Arts.
MSU-IIT also houses its resident choral group, the Octava Choral Society. To further promote distinct Mindanao Filipino culture, its resident dance troupe, Kalimulan.
MSU-IIT is also home to the world-renowned Integrated Performing Arts Guild (IPAG), a “leading Philippine dance and theatre company whose world-acclaimed productions integrate the dance, music, and art traditions of the South where it is based. IPAG has represented the Philippines in over 100 cities worldwide, and is today Philippine Theatre's most-performed and most-traveled performing group”. Founded by Dr. Stephen Patrick Fernandez, the guild tries its best to constantly streamline Filipino culture and arts programs to figure prominently among the most elite clusters.
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| A shot on one of the Maguindanon heroes depicted in IPAG's play, "Hapoy daw Uwahig" |
For institutional awards and recognitions, MSU-IIT has a lot to brag about. The institute has been working hand-in-hand with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for more than a decade now.
IIT is the Center of Excellence in Mathematics, Biology, and Chemistry; Center of Development in Physics and IT; Center of Excellence in Teacher Education; Best HEI Research Program for Region X (Biodiversity Research Program (BRP)); Center of Development for Excellence in Information and Communications Technology; Center of Development in Ceramics, Civil, Electrical, Electronics and Communications, Mechanical, Metallurgical, and Material Science Engineering; and in Biodiversity Conservation and Management, College of Science and Mathematics by the Haribon Foundation.
MSU-IIT is the Zonal Research Center for Regions XII, IX, & ARMM. It is also the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Learning Hub for Northern Mindanao; Virtual Center for Technology Innovation – Microelectronics based on the standards of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The University has these accreditations statuses from the Accrediting Agency for Chartered Colleges and Universities (AACCUP): Level II Re-accredited for all programs of the College of Arts and Social Sciences; Level II Re-accredited for College of Education (Secondary Teacher Education, Industrial Teacher Education, and Physical Education) (Elementary Teacher Education Candidate Status); Level II Accreditation for Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering; Level I Accreditation (Candidate) for all other Engineering disciplines; Level I Accreditation for all programs in Business Administration.
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| My "Mother College": The College of Arts and Social Sciences |
According to the CHED Evaluation in 2003, IIT is the most qualified to be University among fourteen colleges/institutes applying for conversion. MSU-IIT has long reached a level of accomplishments and development where its becoming a full-fledged and independent university which constantly fuels the yearly bills proposed by congressmen for its separation from the MSU System.
MSU-IIT has been declared as regional and national Top Performing School by the Professional and Regulatory Commission in Licensure Exams in Electronics and Communications Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering (For producing topnotchers, for 100 % passing percentage, or for a higher percentage of passing than the national average).
In 2008, The MSU-IIT College of Education ranked number one in the Philippines being the Top Performing School in the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) Board. IIT bested other education schools such as UP Diliman and St. Louis University in Category A with 10-99 examinees. We are currently the Top 2 Performing Nursing School in the Philippines with 96 out of 97 passers.
1 – ONE OF THE BEST UNIVERSITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES
In all the lists presented in Dr. Isagani David Cruz’s critique entitled “Ranking Universities” published in The Philippine Star last August 4, MSU-IIT figures consistently among the TOP 10 (line by line with the traditionally best UP, Ateneo, UST, and La Salle) The forty-two (42) year old MSU-IIT is the “youngest” on the list of Philippines’ top universities.
… And with or without looking at the World Rankings, it is but apparent. Based on the institute’s wide-ranged success, MSU-IIT is one of Philippines’ strongest universities to reckon with.
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