TYPOLOGY
OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
This system of
classifying Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines will
changed the context of Philippine Higher Education. As stated in CHED
Memorandum Order No.46, s. 2012, HEIs will focus on their mandate and their
differentiated functions in achieving the national goals. Also, these
typologies provision a more rational monitoring and
evaluation system for quality-assurance of each HEIs. There will be also grant
of support and incentives for HEIs based on their mandate which have
demonstrated excellent performance. The classifications of HEIs will also open
up spaces for a more intensive intervention and development programs for
priority areas; and rationalization of the number and distribution of different
types of HEIs for the entire country, region, province, and etc. In the end, these
will improve the relevance and efficiency of the system as a whole.
As part of
the Quality Assurance and Philippines Higher Education Reform Agenda, these
typologies will regulate the proliferation of SUCs and LUCs that
are more easily converted into universities and violate CHED Omnibus CMO. There
were SUCs and LUCs that were autonomous and deregulated regardless of
institutional quality performance. With these classifications, HEIs can only be
granted autonomy and deregulation only if they have met the criteria for
vertical classification – commitment to excellence (70%), and institutional
sustainability and enhancement (30%). But, if the HEI failed to meet the set
criteria, then they will be classified as regulated.
Another Quality
Assurance outcome of this system will result in preventing individual HEIs from
creating and pursuing more relevant programs without appropriate QA outcomes
that are responsive to local and/or regional conditions. This will lessen HEIs from
opening and offering programs which are mismatched
and oversubscribed between needed qualifications and the competencies of
Filipino graduates. Other issues in higher education addressed by this are deteriorating quality in some higher
education institutions, and weak research outcomes in universities. With
typology-based QA outcomes, HEIs will clearly define their purpose in higher
education to ensure that they are within the standards set as per CMO 46, s.
2012. The lack of focus on research and graduate education due to lack
of linkages with knowledge hubs and multiple stakeholders in the Philippine
technology innovation system in a few universities for technological innovation
will also be addressed by the said system.
With typology of higher
education as per issuance of CMO 46, s. 2012, the HEIs who believed in
themselves to be what they are not can be diminish and can offer the
quality-based outcomes and services in line to their missions.
THE HORIZONTAL TYPOLOGY
The
horizontal typology of Higher Education Institutions is based on the
differentiated functions of the HEIs in line with the development of the
national goals. The quality of HEIs in this typology is premised on the HEIs
alignment and consistency of the learning environment with the HEIs Vision,
Mission, and Goals. This classification is a very good system of
differentiating HEIs with their stated mandate. In this horizontal typology,
all HEIs are deemed classified as the same or equal and in turn will diminish
the prevailing perception that a university-earned degree as screen for
competencies is better than degree earned provided by other types of HEIs. For,
there are HEIs which are not universities but are producing highly qualified
professionals. Also, others would agree that there are professional institutes
and colleges that are best and have demonstrated quality in their programs. Therefore,
it is not an issue whether someone is a graduate of a university, a college, or
an institute, but rather it is about the function of the HEI in the development
of professionals in line with their mandates.
As described in the CMO
46, s. 2012, and the horizontal type of HEIs have different roles to play in
the national development of the Philippines. The Professional institutions are focused on
developing professionals who have technical knowledge and skills in the field
that will contribute to nation building. The attainment of this mandate by a
Professional institute is through having degree programs that will develop
specialized skills, full-time faculty members, appropriate learning resources
and support structures, build sustaining linkages with the community and have
outreach programs to ensure the development of relevant academic and extension
programs as well as the application of their learning outcomes. In the Philippines, there are plenty of
Professional Institutes providers of higher education. Many of these Institutes
believed in themselves what they are that they are not. For example, they are
the best, they are like this.., and the question is who said that they are the
best? One way or another, the
establishment of this kind of classification will eventually control the
proliferation of commercialized higher education institutions in the country. Someone
who is planning to put up higher education provider institution should firmly
adhere to the standards set by the Commission on Higher Education to ensure
quality of graduates.
The Colleges which
contribute to nation building by developing educational experiences and adults
with technical knowledge and skills is also focused on becoming responsive to
the needs of the communities they serve. In particular, Colleges should
participate in development activities and community extension programs that would
contextualize the knowledge of their students. In the attainment of the
mandate, the Colleges should have a degree programs characterized by a core
curriculum, full-time faculty members, specific and appropriate learning
resources and support structures, linkages with the communities, and outreach
programs that will further develop students’ knowledge and skills
contextualizing their knowledge within actual social and human experiences. This
classification will turn Colleges to be performing their mandate not only in academic
productivity but community responsiveness as well. HEIs typed as College will have
to contribute to the development of the community they are serving as part of
the development of their students’ knowledge and as one of the minimum
requirements for Colleges. Also, this
classification will minimize duplication of functions and programs offered by
HEIs. Knowing the Vision, Mission, and Goals of the HEIs, the Commission on
Higher Education will likely identify functional HEIs to the needs of their
communities and excellent programs offered as well as oversubscribed programs. Hopefully,
by 2017 as the year for review of all Colleges and HEIs, there will be a clear
findings and list of HEIs and how responsive they are to the development of the
needs of the country. What will happen to the unresponsive HEIs? Will there be
sanctions for disobeying HEIs? It would be good if there will be closure of
low-performing HEIs and those HEIs who cannot sustain learning resources, no
linkages with private sectors and industries, and are just existing for
business.
Universities contribute
to nation building by developing trained experts in the various technical and
disciplinal areas by emphasizing the development new knowledge through research
and development. In order to attain its mandate, universities should have
comprehensive range of degree programs in all levels, full-time faculty members
with at least 30% that are involved in research, comprehensive learning
resources and support structures, linkages with international research
institutions to ensure that research activities of the universities are in the
current global standards, and outreach programs that will allow the students,
faculty, and staff to apply the new generated knowledge to address specific
problems. This classification in some ways put a well-defined function of a
university product-an expert in the field he or she has chosen. Also, an HEI
given the name “university” should have to prove with its contemporaries
meeting the requirements and standards set by the Commission on Higher
Education, otherwise, this HEI shall apply for a classification fitting for its
performance and quality outcomes. The classification will ensure that HEI
classified as “university” has demonstrated and has met the requirements for
universities with the evidences of their data and documents submitted as per
application. The typology of higher education institutions as part of the
Higher Education Reform Agenda in the Philippines is one of the best way to
address the deteriorating quality of HEIs. To be typed as University by CHED is
an achievement of that HEI. From this classification of HEI, people will know
which is which. Of the many existing HEIs in the country bearing “university”
in their name, by 2017, probably CHED will have the names of those HEIs who
successfully meet the requirements for the said classification. CHED should be determined
in pursuing this so as to address the country’s deteriorating quality of higher
education. Recognized and typed the HEI as “university” only if they deserved
and have demonstrated and meet certain standards as evidenced by their kind of
outcomes and data. People will benefit from this and in the end the country
will be known in the field of education. For HEIs like those which will be
typed as universities will be true to their mandates and have linkages with
other research hubs in the various parts the world. These HEIs will have to
maintain their classification so as their requirements and will eventually produce
quality outcomes maintain a high quality standard of higher education. That
will only be possible, only if the ideal requirements for an HEI are manifested
by the institution. Now, what about those who cannot? Will there be punishment
or disciplinary measures for those who will not follow the CMO 46, s.
2012?
This horizontal
typology is again one of the best ways to address some of the issues in Higher
Education mentioned earlier. Recognizing the differentiated functions of the
HEIs and their mandate in the development of national goals, this
classification will ensure quality assurance in Philippine Higher Education
more specifically if this is implemented, monitored and evaluated periodically.
This will make the Philippines get back on track to its education goals and
Philippine Higher Education way up on its neighboring countries.
THE VERTICAL TYPLOGY
The
vertical classification is based on HEIs demonstrated quality of the learning
services and outcomes, and the development of culture. All these are related to the HEIs level of
program excellence and institutional quality.
This
classification will make and sustain the best higher education institutions in
the country. For example, an HEI to be granted with a rank higher than from
their current position shall have excellent programs and institutional
sustainability. In this case, to be typed as deregulated or autonomous as per
evaluation, an HEI should have demonstrated commitment to excellence and
institutional sustainability enhancement. It would be a little bit tough for
those HEIs who crisis on the purpose of their institution and are just there
for business. But for HEIs whose purpose of their establishments are clear, then
it would be a challenge for them to continue demonstrating excellence and
quality in their institutions. HEIs have
to prove their quality through their outcomes and data to be granted with the
kind of classification in this vertical typology. For example, to be
autonomous, then, demonstrate criteria for autonomous or to be typed as
deregulated, then, demonstrate criteria for deregulated HEIs. So, if by
evaluation the HEI has met the criteria then they will be typed as such
classification, but if not, then the HEI will be under the regulated status.
CHED
has to be ready by 2017. Many if not most of the Higher Education providers
will fall under regulated status. Knowing the kind of flourishing HEIs in the
country, CHED has to be prepared and firmed for this typology-based standard.
For, the Commission’s goals in the issuance of CMO 46, s. 2012 will only be
achieved only if these are strictly implemented.
In
addition, people will benefit from this vertical classification. This will give
the society and the country in the end the best HEIs as per evaluation by CHED.
The interest of the many will be protected and ensured by this typology. For,
an HEI cannot just claim and believed that they are autonomous or deregulated.
There will be questions that can be asked like, who have granted them their
status? How did they attain that classification? Did they meet the Commission
on Higher Education’s criteria and standards? Again, it will be toughed and an
exciting challenge to all HEIs in proving their worth in this type of typology.
To
be given the horizontal type, HEIs shall apply and meet the minimum
requirements for each classification. While excellence of programs and
institutional sustainability have to be met in order to be granted such type in
the vertical typology. Hopefully, CHED will not only review the submitted
documents and evidences by the HEI but, will also visit and evaluate the
institutions’ facilities, learning resources, and support structures. This is
to ensure that HEIs horizontal types are strictly compliant with the
requirements for quality assurance (QA). Similarly, the grant of vertical
classifications shall be strictly observed in all HEIs regardless of if they
are chartered institutions. Thus, being classified as autonomous or deregulated
HEIs which are often associated with incentives, privileges, and other benefits
will be ensured and be endowed only for qualified and deserving higher
education institutions. With this, typology-based quality assurance scheme for
HEIs, CHED will eventually uplift the quality of higher education in the country
in few years to come of its implementation.
Submitted by:
Mr. Dennis Mark A. Dela Cruz
Submitted to:
Dr. Catherine Q. Castañeda
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