Data have been sourced from the Commission on Higher Education's (CHED) list of higher educational institutions which are considered centers of excellence and development. These schools "have demonstrated the highest degree or level of standard along the areas of instruction, research and extension," according to the commission.
CHED added that these schools "provide institutional leadership in all aspects of development in specific areas of discipline in the various regions by providing networking arrangements to help ensure the accelerated development of higher educational institutions in their respective service areas."
Latest data available was dated October 4, 2010, the last time the commission awarded these titles to higher educational institutions all over the country.
1. University of the Philippines-Diliman
*Ten centers of excellence - Information Technology, Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Marine Science, Mathematics, Marine Science, Molecular Biology, Physics and Statistics
Declared by the government as the national university, UP Diliman is the flagship campus and the administrative seat of the UP system. The university offers 296 graduate and undergraduate courses.
2. University of the Philippines- Los Baños
*Eight centers of excellence - Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Forestry, Veterinary Medicine, Information Technology, Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics
*Two centers of development - Environmental Science, and Statistics
UP Los Baños is considered the agriculture center of Asia. The university says "its research activities work towards sustainable productivity and the efficient utilization of natural resources."
3. De La Salle University- Manila
*Six centers of excellence - Information Technology, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, and Teacher Education
*Six centers of development - Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering
Founded by the La Sallian brothers, DLSU believes in the development of its students through a liberal Christian education. It says "its commitment to this kind of education is based on a belief in the importance of Christian values and in the development in its students a concern for the country's social and economic problems."
4. Ateneo de Manila University
*Six centers of excellence - Business Administration education, Entrepreneurship Education, Information Technology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics
*Two centers of development - Biology, and Environmental Science
Founded by the Jesuits, ADMU "seeks to preserve, extend, and communicate truth and apply it to human development and the preservation of the environment."
5. University of Santo Tomas
*Five centers of excellence - Medicine, Nursing, Biology, Chemistry, Teacher Education
*Seven centers of development - Physical Therapy, Chemical Engineering, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical eEgineering
Being the oldest Catholic university in Asia, UST dedicates itself "to the pursuit of truth through the production, advancement and transmission of knowledge for the formation of competent and compassionate professionals, committed to the service of the Church, the nation and the global community."
6. Central Luzon State University
*Five centers of excellence - Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Fisheries, Veterinary Medicine, and Teacher Education
*Two centers of development - Biology, and Chemistry
CLSU in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, aims to develop "socially responsible and empowered human resources and knowledge for poverty alleviation, environmental protection and global competitiveness towards sustainable development."
7. Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology
*Four centers of excellence - Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Teacher Education
*Three centers of excellence - Information Technology, Physics, and Civil Engineering
MSU-IIT is one of the 10 campuses of the Mindanao State University System. It currently offers more than 115 academic programs.
8. Central Mindanao University
*Three centers of excellence - Veterinary Medicine, Agriculture, and Forestry
*Two centers of development - Biology, and Mathematics
Located in Musuan, Bukidnon, CMU's goal is "to advance the frontiers of knowledge for economic prosperity, moral integrity, social and cultural sensitivity, and environmental consciousness through equitable access to quality instruction, research, extension and production."
9. University of the Cordilleras
*Three centers of excellence - Criminology, Information Technology, and Teacher Education
UC, located in Baguio City, aims " to provide functional knowledge and skills, dynamic interaction and leadership in various disciplines" to its students, for a better quality of life.
