LA TRINIDAD Benguet (PIA) – – The Benguet State University (BSU is on track on its goal to be among the premier universities in the country and the rest of the Asian region.
BSU President Ben Ladilad, in a Kapihan media forum in celebration of its 29th Charter Day Anniversary on Monday, said the school is continuously improving its institutional status ranking 23rd among higher educational institutions in the country and in the top ten in terms of agriculture-related programs.
Ladilad also reported that BSU has 47 programs with levels one to three accreditation and several of them are set to be given level four accreditations.
“It is our goal to have our programs to reach level five accreditations and for BSU to be one of the prime universities in Asia”, he said.
He also affirmed that BSU students are consistent awardees in various fields and are doing good in board examinations especially in nursing.
In terms of student population, Ladilad reported that they have more than 9,800 enrolees. It even reached around 11,000 during the first semester due to enrolees in non-degree programs.
He also reported a sound financial status for BSU given its capital outlay under the General Appropriations Act and its business/investment ventures.
“From the P457 million budget when I sat as president in 2011, our annual budget is continuously increasing reaching as high as P715 million in 2014”, he said.
For the university’s competitiveness, especially with the upcoming ASEAN Integration, Ladilad affirmed that that BSU is also continuously investing in Faculty Development Program for its teaching manpower to have their Masters and Doctorate degree.
He also reported that BSU is building partnerships such as that of ICRISAT for a graduate research program and two Korean universities for student exchange programs – involving language and agriculture.
Twenty-nine years of being a state university, BSU is also set to celebrate its 99thfoundation anniversary as a higher institution this June, starting as an agricultural college in 1916. (JDP/CCD – PIA CAR)
