Pioneer business school expands IT investment

Cracking the whip last month, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) ordered more than a hundred private colleges and universities to strike courses with consistently low performances in government professional exams off their curricula.

On the other hand, the commission awarded autonomous and deregulated status to 50 other colleges and universities. This means the government will no longer oversee, as it did previously, these schools that have been proven creditable.

The "Top 50" consists of only about three percent of all colleges and universities in the country. One of them – by no means the largest and, in fact, the least expensive of the lot in Metro Manila – has graduated a Philippine president, a justice of the Supreme Court, several members of the legislature and Cabinet, ambassadors, no less than 20 heads of banks and financial corporations, several heads of educational institutions, generals in the Armed Forces, and leaders in industry, commerce, agriculture and trade.

Since 1919, Jose Rizal University has quietly and consistently worked to "develop useful and responsible citizens through the effective transfer of desirable values and relevant knowledge." While Filipino values have remained constant, the sphere of "relevant knowledge" has expanded again and again to embrace progress and its attendant demands.

This coming school year, for instance, JRU is launching a new program, Bachelor of Science in IT, to complement two programs it launched last year – Computer Engineering and Master of Arts in Education. Two others were recently revamped – Bachelor of Commercial Science (Major in Computer Science) and Bachelor of Science in Accounting.

"In the interest of providing ‘relevant knowledge,’ JRU undertook further enhancement of IT-related programs, including faculty training and development, and expansion of IT investments, like more computers, support facilities and labs," says JRU vice president Vincent Fabella. (His grandfather, the late Vicente Fabella, the first Filipino certified public accountant, founded JRU).

"Ten-year global forecasts for IT-led work still indicate shortage in supply, even if schools are rushing to meet demand," Fabella explains. "JRU’s own research shows that what will be widely needed are business-minded IT professionals – professionals with technical training and sound business skills. We are equipped to deliver this."

JRU is located at No. 80 Shaw Boulevard, a block-and-a-half compound of well-designed, multi-story buildings surrounded by shady trees and green lawns. This has been its address since 1950.

The university recently inaugurated the Ambassador Bienvenido R. Tantoco Professional Chair in Marketing. Tantoco, chairman of Rustan’s, is one of JRU’s famous alumni. The list also includes the late former President Ramon Magsaysay, former Education Secretary Armand Fabella and businessman Ed del Fonso of PSALM.

Asked what makes JRU competitive while remaining the most affordable, Fabella says, "It would be focus. Our core areas of expertise are business, education and law. These are where we have always succeeded in adding value to national progress, by turning out definitely well-prepared graduates."