University of Mindanao

The University of Mindanao is the largest private, non-sectarian university in Mindanao located in Davao City on the Southern Philippine island. Established in 1946, the University of Mindanao has ten branches spread over thirteen campuses in Southern Mindanao. It is currently an Autonomous Status per CEB Resolution No. 076-2009 with Category A (t) per CMO No. s. 2009 standing accredited by Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Its Accountancy, Computer Engineering and Information Technology programs are Centers of Development(COD) and its Business Administration, Criminology and Teacher Education programs are recognized as Centers of Excellence(COE) by CHED. It is the largest private university in Mindanao and hailed as the institution with the second highest number of programs accredited by PACUCOA in the country today.HistoryIn the midst of rebuilding the ruins of World War II, Atty. Guillermo E. Torres constructed the institution that would provide the education for socially, morally, economically knowledgeable, productive and responsible citizenry of the country. His undying faith and enthusiasm pushed him to convince his friends in Manila and new acquaintances to fulfill this vision.The realization of the dream marked history when the Mindanao Colleges was incorporated on July 27, 1946. During the first year of operation, classes were held in four rented rooms of the Borgaily Building along San Pedro Street in Davao City. Thirteen teachers were hired and there were 381 enrolees. Dr. Efigenia C. Occeña was the Acting Coordinator. The permitted courses were originally the six year complete Elementary Course, two-yearSecondary Course (1st and 2nd years), two year Elementary Teacher Certificate, two-year Associate in Commercial Science, and two-year Associate in Arts. To accommodate the increasing number of Enrolees, the Board of Trustees decided to buy Club Royale along Legaspi Street and renovated to suit classroom requirements. New parcels of land were purchased along Bolton and Bonifacio Street which is the present location of the main campus and Embassy Area respectively. The University’s influence erected more with the establishment of the Mindanao Collegian, the first free campus paper in Mindanao. It became the training grounds of the Davao newspaper men, a lot of them front liner’s of the city’s local publications up to this date. The student-editors from the early days of the Mindanao Collegian are now the “who’s-who” in Mindanao’s media, government and business zeitgeist.