Article: Universitas Athenaea Davaensis
Fortes In Fide ()
Private, University Roman Catholic (Jesuit)
Fr. Gabriel Jose T. Gonzalez, SJ ()
Fr. Michael I. Pineda, SJ()
Suzette D. Alino() 840() 4200 ()2040 ()
Jacinto main campus (Undergraduate/Graduate Schools and College of Law)Matina annex campus (Grade School and High School)
St, Peter's Parochial SchoolAteneo de Davao (1948–1976)
Blue and white
DACS DCL DBLShakey's Girls' V-League UNIGAMES
32 varsity sports teams- 10 men's college- 10 women's college- 6 boys' high school- 6 girls' high school
AJCU-AP JBEC ASEACCU CEAP DACS COCOPEA PAASCU UMAP CHED FAAP
The Ateneo de Davao University is a private teaching, service and research university run by the Society of Jesus in Davao City in the Philippines. It is also known by the acronym AdDU. It was established in 1948, and is the seventh Ateneo opened by the Jesuits in the Philippines. The university has five undergraduate schools, namely the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business and Governance, School of Engineering and Architecture, School of Education and the School of Nursing. The graduate programs are under these units as well. The College of Law is a separate unit within the university. The university also runs a grade school and high school.
The University was granted "Institutional Accreditation" by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities in which only six universities in the country were given such recognition, and was also granted Autonomous Status by the Commission on Higher Education (Philippines). In terms of university rankings, Ateneo de Davao University placed 201st in years 2009 and 2010 and belonged to the 301+ bracket and 251-300 bracket (5th in the country) in 2012 and 2014 respectively according to the rankings done by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) on top universities in Asia. Also, the Ateneo de Davao joined the roster of world universities in the 2012 QS World University Subject Ranking for English Language and Literature joining Oxford and Harvard, wherein it landed on the 101-150 bracket. In the national rankings done by the Commission on Higher Education and the Professional Regulation Commission based on cumulative data from 1991 to 2001 of average passing rates in all courses of all Philippine colleges and universities in licensure examinations, Ateneo de Davao University was proclaimed as the 5th top university in the country. Locally, AdDU emerged as the top school in Davao City according to the ranking published by Davao Reader and also in another ranking by Davao Eagle Online which was based on the number of PRC board topnotchers in 2013.
History
At the request of the Most Reverend Luis del Rosario S.J., Bishop of Zamboanga, which then included Davao, the Jesuit fathers took over St. Peter's Parochial School and founded the Ateneo de Davao in 1948. The founding fathers were led by Fr. Theodore E. Daigler S.J., who became the first rector of the school. The other founding Jesuits were Alfredo Paguia S.J., Grant Quinn S.J., Scholastics James Donelan S.J., and Rodolfo Malasmas S.J. On 20 May 1948, Ateneo de Davao was registered with the SEC (SEC Registration No. 3467) as a non-stock, non-profit, education institution.[www.addu.edu.ph/about-ateneo]
When the Ateneo de Davao formally opened on 28 June 1948, it offered grades V and VI and 1st to 3rd year high school. There were 71 elementary students and 131 high school students who started in a wooden building on a six-hectare lot in Matina.
The Jacinto campus (3.5 hectares) was obtained in 1951 with the support of the Most Rev. Clovis Thibault, P.M.E., Bishop-Prelate of Davao. The campus provided classrooms for high school students in the daytime and college courses in the evenings. College course offerings then were liberal arts, commerce, education, associate in arts, pre-law, secretarial and an elementary teacher's certificate program. There were 130 male college students on the July 1951 start of the College Department, and they were housed in the wooden Bellarmine Hall. In 1953, the Ateneo de Davao College became co-educational. By then, there were nine collegiate course programs offered.
In 1969, the Ateneo de Davao College received its first accreditation with the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU). Ateneo de Davao together with Xavier University and the Ateneo de Zamboanga formed the Mindanao Consortium of Ateneo Schools with the approval of the Department of Education.
In 1973, the Grade School became the first PAASCU-accredited elementary school in the Visayas and Mindanao. The Graduate School entered into a consortium with St. Francis Xavier Regional Seminary for masteral degrees in Theology and in Theology Education.
Together with San Pedro College, San Pedro Hospital, Brokenshire Hospital and the Development of Peoples’ Foundation, the Ateneo co-founded the Davao Medical School Foundation in 1976 as a separate institution but with degrees granted by the Ateneo de Davao. During the same year, the Graduate Institute of Mindanao was started as a consortium between the University of Mindanao and the Ateneo de Davao for the offering of doctorate programs in education.
Administration
The Ateneo de Davao is governed by a board of trustees, currently chaired by Benjamin A. Lizada. The central administration is led by the university president, Fr. Joel Tabora, S.J., who has several committees and councils at hand in helping him in the overall governance of various concerns and aspects of the university.
The members of the Board of Trustees are Very Rev. Antonio F. Moreno, S.J., Mr. Manuel M. Orig, Fr. Michael I. Pineda, S.J., Fr. Anthony C. Pabayo, S.J., Fr. Roberto C. Yap, S.J., Ms. Angela Nina Ann R. Ingle, Fr. Archimedes A. Lachica, S.J., Fr. Ramon Prudencio S. Toledo, S.J., Atty. Abelardo L. Aportadera, Jr., Fr. Karel S. San Juan, S.J., and Mr. Ruben A. Bangayan.
The tertiary level has six units, each headed by a dean. The School of Arts and Sciences is headed by Mr. Renante D. Pilapil, Ph.D. The School of Business and Governance is headed by Mr. Jenner Y. Chan, DBM. The School of Engineering and Architecture is headed by Engr. Randell U. Espina, Ph.D. The School of Education is headed by Dr. Annabel J. Casumpa. The School of Nursing is headed by Dr. Patria V. Manalaysay, Ph.D. The Law School is headed by Atty. Manuel P. Quibod.
The Junior High School unit is currently headed by Fr. Michael I. Pineda, S.J. as principal. The Grade School unit of the university is headed by its headmaster, Mrs. Suzette Aliño. The Senior High School unit is headed by Mr. Ricardo P. Enriquez, the first director of SHS.
University campus
The Ateneo de Davao University operates in two campuses in Davao City, both housing several research and academic units. The 4-hectare Jacinto Campus is a metropolitan campus as it is situated in the central district of the city. The Jacinto Campus was only 3.5 hectares when it was bought in 1951. In 2012, an adjacent lot of 0.5 hectare was added to the original lot. It is occupied by the undergraduate and graduate schools of the university, including the College of Law and has a student population of around 8000. The grade school and high school units of the university are located at the 7.2-hectare Matina Campus, a residential area of the city. The Matina campus was originally a 6-hectare lot. In 2012, an adjacent lot of 1.2 hectares was added.
Academic institutions
The Ateneo de Davao offers a wide array of programs in the undergraduate and graduate levels. The school's academic programs include the humanities, education, accounting, business, law, social sciences, philosophy, nursing, social work, theology, biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science and information technology, engineering, architecture, and public administration. The university also heavily engages itself in research and community social involvement.
Undergraduate and graduate units
School of Arts and Sciences
The School of Arts and Sciences (SAS) was opened in 1951 with 130 students enrolled in various offerings namely: liberal arts, commerce, education, associate in arts, pre-law, secretarial, and elementary teacher's certificate program. In subsequent years, other college programs were added. After the school obtained university status in 1977, the list of programs was further expanded.
Presently, the SAS offers different degree programs both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The SAS is subdivided into four clusters namely: Computer Studies, Humanities and Letters, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Social Sciences—each respectively administered by Mr. Dominique Gerald Cimafranca, Fr. Erwin Rommel C. Torres, Ms. J-Ney B. Zapanta, DSc., and Mr. Efren John P. Sabado, Ph.D., the Assistant Deans of each cluster.
Each division has its own unique mascot, namely: Chameleon (Computer Studies), Wolf (Humanities and Letters), Falcon (Natural Science and Mathematics), and Dragon (Social Science).
School of Business and Governance
The undergraduate business courses of the Ateneo de Davao University were under the School of Arts and Sciences; the MBA, MPA and MAN programs were under the graduate business programs and the MPA-GA program was under the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. In an effort to have all the business courses integrated, the AdDU School of Business & Governance (SBG) was born.
The SBG was launched in 1 April 2000. Under its aegis are accountancy, business management, entrepreneurship, human resource management, finance, accounting technology, marketing and graduate business programs as well as support programs in computer literacy and research and extension offices.
The SBG at the undergraduate level is subdivided into two divisions, namely, the Accountancy Division which offers the Accountancy and Accounting Technology (formerly Management Accounting) programs, and the Business Management (BM) Division which offers seven academic programs namely: Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Human Resource Management, and Entrepreneurship, major in Agri-business.
The Graduate Business and Governance Program offers master's degrees in Business Administration (MBA)—including majors in Human Resource and Organizational Development, Public Administration (MPA)—including majors in Local Governance, Public Policy, and Accelerated Programs for Executives (APEX). The Graduate Program also offers doctorate degrees in Management—Human Resource Management, Business Administration (DBA), and Public Administration (DPA).
The SBG’s Dean is Mr. Jenner Y. Chan, DBM. The Assistant Dean of the Undergraduate Programs is Ms. Rowenna Mae C. De Jesus, DBM, and the Assistant Dean of the Graduate Programs is Ms. Margie J. Clavano, CPA, MSA, DBA.
The current heads of the department are Mr. Leopoldo D. Medina, CPA, MSA for Accountancy, Mr. Joeffrey L. Gomez, MBA for Entrepreneurship, Ms. Lenore A. Loqueloque, CPA, DBM for Accounting Technology, Mr. Jose Paolo Y. Mack, MBA for Finance, Ms. Michelle Rose M. Juadiong, MBA for Business Management and Human Resources Management, Ms. Rodilina B. Marte, MBA for Marketing, and Ms. Eminel Jane M. Alvior, DPA for Governance.
The Accountancy Division's mascot is the Griffin while the B&M's mascot is the Viper.
School of Nursing
The university has been offering a master's degree program in Nursing Administration since the 1970s. It opened an undergraduate nursing program in 2001. The program started under the auspices of the Natural Sciences and Math Division, and eventually became the School of Nursing (SON).
In 2009, the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) released a list of the top 20 nursing schools in the Philippines that have met the standards set by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). The School of Nursing of the Ateneo de Davao University was in the 18th place of the Top 20 Nursing Schools in the Philippines.
The SON's mascot is the Panther.
The School of Nursing is currently headed by Dean Patria V. Manalaysay, RN, MAN, Ph. D. Its current administrators are Ms. Mary Hazel S. Facundo, Ms. Jocelyn A. Ferraren, Mr. Roy Cresencio R. Linao, Jr., Ms. Jennifer G. Ocampo, and Ms. Magnolia A. Jadulang.
School of Engineering and Architecture
In school year 2010–2011, the Board of Trustees of the university approved the separation of the Engineering and Architecture Division from the School of Arts and Sciences in order to create its own college. Dr. Randell U. Espina was appointed as the first dean of the new college. The board approved the promotion from CEA to School of Engineering and Architecture (SEA), beginning 1 June 2012
The SEA offers eight academic programs, namely: Architecture, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electronics and Communications Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.
The current administrators of the SEA are Engr. Randell U. Espina, Ph.D., OIC and Chair of the Electronics and Communications Department, Engr. Edicio M. Faller, Chair of the Computer Engineering Department, Engr. Eva Marie C. Mendoza, Chair of the Chemical Engineering Department, Engr. Elaine P. Quinto, Chair of the Industrial Engineering Department, Engr. Renyl B. Barroca, Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department, Engr. Robert A. Romero, Chair of the Civil Engineering Department, Engr. Michelle M. Soledad, Chair of the Electrical Engineering Department, Arch. Wilfredo Z. Policarpio, Chair of the Architecture Department, and Engr. Fortunata Pompeya L. Nicolas, Chair of the Engineering Sciences and Math Department.
In 2011, AdDU was adjudged the seventh best engineering school in the country. This ranking was derived by getting the average of the school's rating in the licensure examinations in five engineering fields namely Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, Civil and Electronics & Communications Engineering. The Ateneo de Davao was also ranked as the 4th best Architecture school in the country. This was also based on the passing percentage rates of the school on board examinations administered by the Professional Regulation Commission for Architecture in three consecutive years.
The SEA's mascot is the tiger.
School of Education
During the school year 2012–2013, the board approved the separation of the Education program from the Social Science Division as part of the reorganization of the School of Arts and Sciences in order to create the School of Education (SOE). Dr. Gina L. Montalan is the school's first appointed dean. The current Assistant Dean of the SOE is Dr. Annabel J. Casumpa.
The SOE offers the following programs: Bachelor of Elementary Education (Generalist and Pre-School) and Bachelor of Secondary Education with majors in English, Math, Physical Sciences, Social Studies, and Biological Sciences.
The Ateneo de Davao University's Teacher Education is also recognized by the Commission on Higher Education as a Center of Development.
The SOE's mascot is the Shark.
Professional unit College of Law
In June 1961, then-Rector Rev. Hudson Mitchell, S.J. established the College of Law. The first graduates took the bar examinations in 1965. Atty. Leon M. Garcia, Jr. was Dean for the period 1961–63. He was succeeded by Epifanio Estrellado who held the deanship for 27 years. In 1990, Atty. Hildegardo F. Iñigo, one of the first graduates of the College of Law and faculty member since 1967, assumed the position of dean.
According to the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the AdDU College of Law is the fifth best law school in the country. The College has maintained this for many years.
The dean of the College of Law is Atty. Manuel P. Quibod.
Basic education units
The government mandated K-12 basic education program was implemented in the Ateneo de Davao, starting in school year 2012–2013.
Senior High School
The Senior High School covers eight areas based on four disciplines similar to college courses which are Academic (Business, Science & Engineering, Humanities & Social Science and General Academic strand), Technical Vocational Livelihood (focusing on TESDA specialised subjects). These areas allow students to pick their chosen track where they can enhance their skills and talents.
The Ateneo Senior High School offers a Pre-college Track focusing on three strands namely STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), ABM (Accountancy, Business and Management), and HUMSS (Humanities and Social Sciences) which help students be ready and equipped for both college life and the corporate world.
The first school year of the Senior High School Unit will begin in June 2016. The Senior High School will temporarily take place in the college campus while the official Senior High building is constructed in the Matina campus.
Junior High School
The Junior High School Unit of the Ateneo de Davao University is a Catholic preparatory school for young students. The current principal of the department is Fr. Michael I. Pineda, S.J. He assumed the post in 2011, replacing Fr. Anthony C. Pabayo, S.J.
The Junior High School Unit has its main library housed on the second floor of the administration building. The unit also has a Student Development Center which serves a supporting function in the educational process through the directing and controlling activities to help each individual develop his/her potential. Some of the goals of the center are incorporated in the academic curriculum which include individual analysis of the student, information and career development, individual counseling, and the conduction of psychological educational classes regularly. There are also other unique support services in the Junior High School unit. The Instructional Media Center (IMC) aims to provide an environment, which facilitates the realization of the academic excellence and the formation of Christian values. The IMC provides an adequate collection of print and audio-visual materials which includes books, magazines, records, videotapes and other materials that are all necessary for the academic development of the student body.
As part of the Jesuit educational tradition, the Junior High School also provides religious formation programs, such as the Christian Service and Learning Program (CSLP, formerly called CSIP), which sends students to different communities in order to immerse in the environment and reach out. The academic curriculum also includes a CLE (Christian Life Education) program. The 4-year CLE course aims to produce an Ateneo graduate who projects the Jesuit values of being men and women for others and who will actively serve as catalysts for social transformation while living life with an informed Christian perspective.
The Junior High School classifies its students into honors (St. Francis Xavier) and general sections (St. John Berchmans (General section in 7th, 9th and 10th Grade while acting as an honor's class during 8th Grade), St. Robert Bellarmine, St. Francis Borgia, St. Peter Canisius, St. Edmund Campion, St. Noel Chabanel (7th Grade), St. John de Brito, St. Peter Favre, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, St. Isaac Jogues, St. Stanislaus Kostka, St. Joseph Pignatelli, St. Bernardino Realino (7th Grade), St. John Francis Regis). All entering 7th Grade are equally put into regular sections. Starting 8th Grade, the students are then academically evaluated in order to determine the composition of the honors class of the batch. Their curriculum is more advanced and rigorous than that of the regular sections. An example of this would be in the math curriculum in which additional competencies are added like analytic geometry (8th Grade level), trigonometry (9th Grade level), and calculus (10th Grade level)
Grade 7-8 allow students to explore their capacities and capabilities in preparation for Grade 9-10 in which students can choose curses depending on their skills and with the help of as assessment directing them to the course which they truly fit.
Grade School
The Ateneo de Davao Grade School is an elementary school for young and qualified students. The Grade School Unit is housed, along with the high school unit, within the Matina Campus. The department also provides the student body with many support services. The grade school’s Student Development Center offers integral development programs which subsequently helps in the holistic formation of the student. The Grade School Instructional Media Center (IMC) is the information center of the Ateneo de Davao Grade School Department. The center attempts to fulfill the needs of the grade school community supplying books, learning materials, programs and services for academic, personal and individual enrichment. The department also has the Ateneo Education for Elementary Gifted Student (Ateneo EDGES Program) which admits intellectually gifted elementary students and engages them with a more rigorous academic program in order to maximize their learning potentials and make the students become more critical, creative, and independent.
School seal
The Ateneo de Davao seal is circular with the school motto in Latin on top of the circle, and the name of the school at the bottom of the circle. At the center are the shield of the family of St Ignatius of Loyola and the seal of the Society of Jesus.
The two top panels of the shield represent Davao. The gold and silver inverted crossed keys against a light blue background represent St. Peter, Patron of Davao Parish Church (now Cathedral). The light blue background represents Our Lady, patroness of the Philippines and of the Ateneo de Davao University (under the title of the Assumption of Our Lady). The green mountain peaks in the other panel represent Mt. Apo and its neighboring peaks, clearly visible from Davao City.
The two lower panels of the shield are the family arms of the founder of the Society of Jesus, St. Ignatius of Loyola of the House of Onaz y Loyola. The seven red and gold stripes represent the seven sons of the House of Onaz who fought under their king for the liberties of the Christians in Spain. The wolves-and-pot (lobos y olla) are a pun on the family name Loyola.
The crest above the shield is a silver medallion containing the monogram of the Society of Jesus: IHS are the first three letters of the name Jesus in Greek; the cross and the nails recall His passion and death as savior of mankind.
School motto
The school motto in Latin, Fortes In Fide, means "Strong in Faith” from I Peter 5:9. It is also the burden of a passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians: Eph. 5, 10-20.
Mission
The Ateneo de Davao strives to shape leaders for the Catholic Church in the Philippines and throughout the country but particularly in Mindanao. It promotes respect for cultural and religious diversity. Other values entertained are community development and defense of the environment.
The Ateneo name
The name Ateneo is the Spanish form of Athenæum, which the Dictionary of Classical Antiquities defines as the name of "the first educational institution in Rome" where "rhetoricians and poets held their recitations." Hadrian’s school drew its name from a Greek temple dedicated to Athena, the goddess of wisdom. The said temple, according to the Encyclopædia Britannica, was where "poets and men of learning were accustomed to meet and read their productions." Athenæum is also used in reference to schools and literary clubs. The closest English translation is academy, referring to institutions of secondary learning.
The Ateneo de Davao is not the only Jesuit school that the Jesuits named Ateneo. The Society of Jesus in the Philippines has established sixteen schools all over the Philippines since 1590 where nine of them are Ateneo. Over the years, the name "Ateneo" has become recognized as the official title of Jesuit institutions of higher learning in the Philippines and synonymous with academic excellence.
Admissions and financial aid
The different units of the Ateneo de Davao have their own criteria for admitting students into their respective programs.
The College Department has different requirements for new students (Filipino residents or dual citizens), transfer applicants (Filipino residents or dual citizens), and second course applicants (Filipino residents and AdDU graduates). BS Nursing applicants are subject to additional admission requirements, namely urinalysis, CBC, and standard chest x-ray.
The High School Department requires all applicants to submit their academic report card and a recommendation accomplished by a principal, guidance counselor or class adviser. In addition, the applicant must pass the Ateneo Qualifying Test (AQT). For the undergraduate programs, applicants are required to take and pass the Ateneo College Admissions Test (ACAT). Moreover, the Admissions Committee of the university does not only look at the scores garnered by the applicant in the ACAT but it also considers different factors such as, but not limited to, high school academic performance, recommendations, application materials, essays, and interviews.
The university offers various financial aid programs in its different units. The Ateneo College Scholarship Program under the College Scholarship Committee offers financial assistance to deserving but financially needy students. Scholarship grantees are selected based on academic competence, financial need, and commitment to service.
Library system
The library system of the Ateneo de Davao University comprises several libraries housed in the Jacinto Campus and the Matina Campus. The main library of the tertiary level is located inside the Gisbert Hall, in the Jacinto Campus. The main library has four levels and mainly serves the School of Arts and Sciences, School of Business and Governance, and the College of Nursing. The first level of the main library accommodates the space for the study area, newly processed books, general circulation books, CD-ROM library, PROQUEST, and the Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC). The second level contains the Union Card Catalog and the Graduate and Reserved Sections which contain theses, dissertations, and other studies that are requested by the members of the faculty for their classes. The third level includes the Reference and Filipiniana Library and a self-regulating computer library for the students. The fourth level houses the Periodical Library which provides a vast collection of current and retrospective newspapers, magazines, and journals.
The Law School and School of Business and Governance Graduate Library is located on the fifth floor of the Dotterweich building. Its vast collection largely caters to law students and graduate students who are enrolled in the Master of Arts in Business Administration (MBA), Master in Public Administration (MPA) and Doctor in Business Administration (DBA) programs.
The Faculty Resource Center (FRC) is located on the second level of the Finster Hall. The resources in the FRC are exclusively used by the faculty members of the university. It also contains its own computer laboratory.
Also integrated in the library system of the Ateneo de Davao are the distinct libraries of the pre-school, grade school, and high school departments. The said three libraries are all located in the Matina Campus. The Ateneo de Davao Library System is connected to the library system of its sister schools all over the Philippines namely Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo de Naga University, Ateneo de Zamboanga University , and the Ateneo de Cagayan University.
The American Corner (AC), or the "American Library" as it is widely known in the city, is located on the second level of the Wieman Hall. More details in the section below.
American Studies Resource Center
The American Studies Resource Center or the American Corner (AC) is a center dedicated providing various materials and resources about the United States in different aspects, as well as advising services for those individuals who want to study in the United States. It boasts an array of books, periodicals, CD-ROMs, videotapes, VCDs, DVDs, posters and publications of private and public American organizations and agencies.
The American Library was established on 13 May 1992. In 2003, it was closed for renovation and improvement of the facilities under a new Memorandum of Agreement which was duly signed by Mr. Ronald Post of the US Embassy and Fr. Edmundo M. Martinez, S.J.
Service oriented
The Arrupe Office of Social Formation or AOSF, formerly known as the Social Involvement Coordinating Office (SICO), is the social formation arm of Ateneo de Davao University in the tertiary level. The office aims to develop and implement social formation programs and activities.
Among AOSF’s projects and initiatives are the "First Year Development Program", where students are assigned a classroom adviser who assists them in adjusting to the demands and rigours of college life, "National Service Training Program", where Filipino students contribute to the general welfare of local partner communities, and "Student Servant Leadership Program", where students develop and student organizations serve as collaborators in the work of spreading social awareness and social involvement. It also runs surveys in the public interest and patrols elections.
The College of Law has several pro bono programs under the office of the Ateneo Legal Aid Services. Students in the graduate programs of the School of Business and Governance help in creating business plans and entrepreneurial opportunities for non-profit organizations in the city. For the School of Arts and Sciences graduate programs, most of the academic courses are focused on environment, education, and peace in its various academic course programs. In this line the university has Al Qalam Institute for Islamic Studies.
Accreditation and recognition
In 2009, Ateneo de Davao was granted "institutional accreditation" by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU). Only six universities in the Philippines were granted and it is the only university in Mindanao to have been given such recognition. The Ateneo de Davao University joins five other universities in the Philippines that have been granted with such accreditation namely, Ateneo de Manila University, Ateneo de Naga University, Centro Escolar University, Silliman University and Trinity University of Asia. AdDU was also given Autonomous Status by the Commission on Higher Education and is also a Center of Development for Information Technology and Teacher Education.
In 2016, Ateneo de Davao was granted "Autonomous and Deregulated Status" by the Commission on Higher Education (Philippines)
The Ateneo de Davao University has been re-accredited Level III in 8 programs which are: Accounting, Arts & Sciences, Business, Electronics & Communication Engineering, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Civil Engineering and Chemical Engineering and is accredited Level III for Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science by the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities and the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines. The Information Technology and Information Systems programs of AdDU were both granted Level I accreditation and is a Center of Development of CHED XI. Certificates of Accreditation from PAASCU were also awarded to the following programs offered by the Ateneo: Arts & Sciences, Elementary Education, Secondary Education, Business, Accounting, Engineering (Civil, Chemical, Electrical, Mechanical), Information Technology/Information Systems and Social Work. Some programs offered by the university are also under the Candidate Status of PAASCU. In addition, the Elementary and High School of AdDU are also accredited by the same accrediting association and received level II accreditation.
Rankings and reputation
Based on international rankings, the Ateneo de Davao University placed 127th in the Asian region, according to an academic peer review survey done by the QS 2009 Asian University Rankings. According to the same survey, the university ranked 153rd based on recruiter reviews and 201st in the overall ranking. Also based on the survey of the QS Asia University Rankings in years 2010, 2012 and 2014, Ateneo de Davao placed 201st, and belonged to the 301+ bracket and 251-300 bracket of the Asian ranking respectively.
Ateneo got into the list of the QS World University Rankings for 2013 per subject area in Higher Education Institutions in the country. AdDU topped in 4 subject areas in the QS ranking specifically in Arts & Humanities: English Language and Literature, Engineering & Technology: Computer Science and Information Systems, Psychology and Sociology joining other universities in the country namely the Ateneo de Manila University, University of the Philippines, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas and Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology.
The Ateneo de Davao joined the roster of world universities in the 2012 QS World University Subject Ranking for English Language and Literature joining Oxford and Harvard, wherein it landed on the 101-150 bracket.
In the national rankings done by the Commission on Higher Education and the Professional Regulation Commission based on cumulative data from 1991 to 2001 of average passing rates in all courses of all Philippine colleges and universities in licensure examinations, Ateneo de Davao University was proclaimed as the 5th top university in the country.
On a review and ranking by 4International Colleges and Universities - an international higher education directory and search engine which reviews accredited world universities and colleges, which was updated in 2014, Ateneo de Davao University got the 14th spot in the list of Top Universities in the Philippines. The ranking is not academic, rather, it is based upon an algorithm including three unbiased and independent web metrics extracted from three different search engines. The significance of such ranking according to 4ICU is to help international students and academic staff to understand how popular a specific university or college is in a foreign country.
Based on the research and web survey of the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities 2014 - produced by Cybermetrics Lab (CCHS), a unit of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), the main public research body in Spain, Ateneo de Davao landed on the 14th spot in the list of the top universities in the Philippines.
On a local survey of Davao Reader, a Davao City Online Magazine, Ateneo de Davao is the top school in the city and is the most preferred school by company heads and owners in getting personnel and professionals to work for their companies. According to Davao Reader, "Ateneo de Davao University has made a mark by letting the name and, most importantly, the product speak for itself. It has produced many Board and Bar top-notchers, successful businessmen and public servants and countless more in other fields. It seems this university has always delivered the “cream of the crop”. It has been always a benchmark for many if not all companies in Davao City".
Licensure exams
May 2013, an Ateneo de Davao graduate, Richard Saavedra, topped the Certified Public Accountants Licensure Examination by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). Saavedra got a rating of 96.00%. The following month, two Ateneo graduates were in the Top 10 of the June 2013 Architecture Licensure Examination. Kenneth Hubiera Yap was the topnotcher with a rating of 86.00%. Making it to the 4th place was Clarissa Segura who got a rating of 84.90%. Also in the same month, another Ateneo graduate, Carl Christian Agunod BSN batch 2013, placed 7th in the June 2013 Nurses Licensure Examination with a rating of 85.40%. On the same year, a graduate of AdDU made it to the 5th place of the September 2013 Licensure Exams for Teachers (Elementary). Kyth Dyan Lee garnered an average score of 89.20% in the said examination administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC).
Ateneo de Davao graduates Geric Namoc and Vicenzo Liu Lao also topped the December 2013 Electronics Technician and Electronics Engineering Licensure Examinations. Namoc topped the examination for ECT and Lao placed 3rd for both ECT and ECE Licensure Examinations administered by the Professional Regulation Commission.
January 2014, Karla Bernadine Paras Bulaclac made it to the eighth (8th) spot for the Nursing Licensure Exam garnering an average rating of 84.80% on the said examination. March of the same year, 5 AdDU graduates topped PRC's Real Estate Broker Licensure Exam. Jerry Catague was ranked on the 3rd place having an average of 83.25%, on the 7th place was Wyna Lumanag who garnered an average of 82.25%, Lilibeth Mayquilan on the 8th place (82.00%) and in the 9th place was Cyril Cole and Christian Reyes who both got an average of 81.75%.
Ateneo de Davao University emerged as the top performing school in Davao based on the number of PRC board topnotchers in 2013 in a research conducted by Davao Eagle Online. In addition, Ateneo de Davao University is consistent in getting a school performance average in terms of passing rate higher than that of the national passing rate in every academic discipline set by PRC and the Supreme Court of the Philippines on board and bar examinations. It emerged as the top performing school in Davao based on the number of PRC board topnotchers in 2013 in a research conducted by Davao Eagle Online.
Student organizations
The Samahan Central Board, also referred to as SAMAHAN, is the official student government of the university. Together with the Campus Clubs Organization (CCO) and the General Assembly of Class Presidents (GACP), the Samahan Central Board is under the supervision of the Office of Student Affairs (OSA).
The Campus Clubs Organizations (CCO) has the mandate on all student organizations within the university, except the Special Organizations created by the Office of Student Affairs. The GACP has the mandate for all duly elected class presidents.
University athletics
The Ateneo de Davao has a robust sports program in college, high school and grade school. The university has varsity teams in the sport of basketball, football, volleyball, track & field, table tennis, swimming, arnis and chess. It participates in athletic leagues such as the Davao Association of Catholic Schools Sportsfest (DACS), Davao Champions League (DCL), Duterte Basketball League (DBL), Davao City Collegiate League (DCCL), UNIGAMES and the Shakey's Girls' V-League.
Student publications
The student publication of the college department of the university (excepting the College of Law) is the Atenews. Founded in 1955, Atenews serves as a stalwart guardian of students' rights. Notable alumni of the Atenews include Dr. Macario Tiu, three-time awardee of the Don Carlos Palanca Award for Literature and former moderator for the publication.
The grade school and high school's student publications are Magis and Blue Knight, respectively.
University radio station
Blue Knight FM (currently 105.9 MHz; formerly 94.7 MHz of One Radio), the official radio station of the university, was launched in January 2008. The station serves as a training ground for Mass Communication majors. Blue Knight FM airs from 9 AM to 10 AM, Monday to Friday. The station is located inside the Humanities Division. Blue Knight uses the frequency of Balita FM.
Notable alumni
Ateneo de Davao has produced graduates in the fields of arts, governance, law, medicine, media, service and science. Here are some of its notable alumni:
Conrado "Bobby" Gempesaw, Ph.D. (AB Economics '80) - 17th and 1st lay president of St. John's University in Queens, New York City
Jasmine B. Lee (born Jasmine Bacurnay y Villanueva) - a Filipino-born Korean, television personality, actress and civil servant; Elected as a proportional representative in South Korea’s National Assembly
Juris Fernandez (GS '91 and HS '95)- Member of MYMP.
Prospero Nograles (GS '60 and HS '64) - former Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives, first ever elected Speaker from Mindanao in a hundred years in Philippine legislative history
Antonio T. Carpio (GS '62 and HS '66) - Senior Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the Philippines
Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza (BS Accountancy '96) - former Philippine congresswoman and chairman of the Philippine House of Representatives Committee on Public Information and incumbent governor of North Cotabato.
Building expansions
In June 2012, the plans for the Community Center and the Martin Hall, a multi-purpose sports and assembly building, were unveiled to the public through Architect Christopher Ong. On 6 October that year, the ground breaking ceremony took place to officially commence the construction of the buildings. Additionally, the new University Chapel, formally known as The University Chapel of Our Lady of the Assumption, was constructed inside the Community Center. On 30 December 2015, the University Chapel, Community Center, and the Martin Hall were blessed.
The 12-story Community Center is the city's tallest educational tower. The multi-purpose Martin Hall is the biggest student service center at seven stories.
The Community Center features a plaza on the first floor, a study complex for students called the Miguel Pro Learning Commons on the second floor. The upper floors will be allocated for faculty, researchers, outreach institutes and centers. The ninth floor is dedicated to the university’s guests. The tenth floor serves as the residence of the local Jesuit community. The structure has a rainwater collection system and an array of solar panels that powers the Center’s lighting system.
The Martin Hall houses a 350-car parking facility, four basketball courts that can double as an assembly hall for around 3,500 people, a theater stage, a jogging track, a gym, and other sports facilities. Student organization offices and conference rooms are found in the mezzanine.
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Any chronicle of Ateneo de Davao University’s past begins with 1948, when American Jesuits, led by Fr. Theodore Daigler, assumed responsibility for St. Peter’s Parochial School then located along Jacinto Street in downtown Davao. With missionary zeal, the American fathers and Filipino scholastics built up Ateneo de Davao from a basic education unit to a small Liberal Arts college for men in 1951. In 1953, women students were welcomed to the college.
Courses leading to college degrees in Liberal Arts and Business were taught in a wooden hall named after St. Robert Bellarmine SJ. (Bellarmine was a 16th century Italian Jesuit bishop who, being an outstanding theologian, lecturer, and writer, was meant to inspire rigorous intellectual pursuit in the service of the Church.)
By the 1960s, the student population had risen enough to warrant the construction of a hall in honor of St. Peter Canisius SJ, a Dutch Jesuit preacher, and writer who defended the Catholic faith among German-speaking peoples of the sixteenth century. Canisius Hall is the oldest existing structure on the campus today.
Canisius Hall witnessed the development of postgraduate Ateneo education—the College of Law in 1961 and the Graduate School in 1968. The College of Law was established ten years after the first college courses were offered. Ranked as one of the Top Ten Law Schools of the country by the Supreme Court of the Philippines, the College of Law has maintained this excellent distinction and tradition for many years.
In 1969, the Ateneo de Davao College received its first accreditation from the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges, and, Universities (PAASCU). This formal recognition of the quality of education would be reaffirmed in regular PAASCU team visits in subsequent years.
Ateneo de Davao attained University status in 1977. Developments in the 1970s include the establishment of the College of Agriculture in 1977 and the Regional Science Teaching Center (RSTC) in 1979. After fourteen years, the College of Agriculture was closed as part of the agreement of the Mindanao Consortium of Ateneo Schools (which includes Ateneo de Davao, Ateneo de Zamboanga, and Xavier University). RSTC is still organizing training workshops for science educators in Southern Mindanao to this day.
Other milestones in 1979 include the introduction of the Chemical Engineering program, the rest of what are now seven Engineering courses, and the publication of Kinaadman, an academic journal containing research and scholarly articles especially focused on Mindanao. Kinaadman (Bisaya for wisdom) was a joint publication of the consortium.
The 1980s saw the birth of a homegrown journal and three other engineering courses. Weaning itself of Kinaadman, Ateneo de Davao published the first issue of its journal in 1984. Christened Tambara (Bagobo for “offering to the gods”), it publishes peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary articles on Mindanao issues. Courses in Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering were offered beginning in 1984.
Physical facilities were also upgraded at this time. Bellarmine Hall was reconstructed. Five halls were built and dedicated to men of the cloth whose life and times are part of the history of Jesuits in the Philippines. The library building honors Fr. Mateo Gisbert SJ, a 19th century Spanish Jesuit whose mission area was Davao. Known for his love for the Bagobos, he respected their culture and learned their language so well he spoke it fluently and wrote Diccionario Espanol-Bagobo in 1892.
The hall that still accommodates engineering classrooms is named after Most Reverend Luis del Rosario, SJ, Bishop of Zamboanga. He is the one who invited the Jesuits to take over the administration of St. Peter’s Parochial School in 1948. The connecting hall is dedicated to Most Reverend Clovis Thibault PME, Bishop Prelate of Davao whose early support to the Jesuit educational apostolate is seen in the donation of the land for the Jacinto campus.
Also honored by way of halls is the lifework of two American Jesuit missionaries. Both teachers and counselors, Fr. Justus R. Wieman, SJ and Fr. John A. Dotterweich, SJ were regarded as friends of Ateneans in Davao in the 1970s to the 1980s.
Work in the 1980s did not only focus on developing academic excellence. Community engagement, particularly of students, was also a key concern. It found expression in the establishment of the Social Involvement Coordinating Office (SICO), which was a clear response to the need for conscientization and social involvement of college students. SICO is now known as the Arrupe Office of Social Formation.
Top of mind in the 1990s were high technology and high quality. The University kept in stride with the times with the Ateneo Computer Science Center, which awarded certificates in short computer courses and later a degree in Computer Science. Internet access, as well as computer education, were harnessed in aid of connecting faculty, staff, and students to the rest of the wired universe. Further, courses in Electronics and Communications Engineering and Architecture were first taught at this time.
The University’s outstanding work in the areas of curriculum and instruction, faculty, administration, student services, physical plant, and laboratories continued to be recognized by PAASCU reaccreditations as well as awards from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Ateneo de Davao was declared a CHED Center of Development in Business and Management Education in 1994 and in Chemistry and Mathematics Education in 1998 as well as a Center of Excellence in Teacher Education in 1996.
On the cusp of the 21st century, the University spun the School of Business and Governance of the College of Arts and Sciences; the leaner College became the School of Arts and Sciences. More degree programs were offered—in Nursing (2001), Information Technology and Information Management (2002), and Accounting Technology (2009). From 2000 to 2003, Ateneo de Davao was Region XI’s Center of Development for Excellence in Information Technology Education.
These improvements in organizational structure and program offerings were accompanied by a major change in the campus landscape. Finster Hall (named after Fr. Paul V. Finster, a much loved Jesuit who served the Ateneo de Davao community as Rector-President, treasurer, teacher and counselor for more than forty years) was constructed. The building drastically increased the instruction space in the campus. Through the years, various laboratories for computer instruction and interaction; for speech lessons, journalism, and video editing; and for engineering experiments and research have been built up and constantly updated.
On the university’s 60th year, the cornerstone for Jubilee Hall was laid. Space was earmarked for classrooms and offices of student organizations and administrative units.
In 2009, the University earned the ultimate official accolade of a PAASCU Institutional Accreditation, one of only six such awards in the Philippines, for:
“the University’s long tradition of exemplary accomplishments in the areas of instruction, research and community service and high performance of its graduates in government licensure examinations; for the laudable practices leading to internal efficiency and external productivity; for its meritorious record of excellence as evidenced by the high level of performance of program accreditation and effective assurance mechanisms.”
Stronger, deeper, and richer institutional changes followed. Greater emphasis has been placed on the university functions of research and community service, leading to the creation of the University Research Council (URC) and the University Community Engagement and Advocacy Council (UCEAC) in 2011.
The instruction function, however, remains paramount. On top of the School of Arts and Sciences and the School of Business and Governance, three other Schools were organized in 2012: the School of Nursing, the School of Engineering and Architecture, and the School of Education. Jointly, they award degrees from 47 college programs and 44 graduate programs to more than a thousand students every school year.
In 2015, the Ateneo Community ratified the University’s Strategic Plan for 2015-2020, which “provides a way of proceeding that seeks to build a community working for social justice and the common good.” To realize the University’s mission, the Plan is organized around five guiding principles: transformative administration and services (A); integral formation (F); excellent instruction (I); robust research and publication (R); and vibrant engagement and advocacy (E) or AFIRE.
For transformative administration and services (A), new Vice President offices were approved by the Board of Trustees in 2017: Executive Vice President, Vice President for Finance (and Treasurer), and Vice President for Planning and Quality Assurance.
Offices and other workspaces were reestablished in the Community Center of the First Companions and the Fr. Edgar Martin SJ Hall in 2015. The Community Center hosts a student study center, faculty workspaces, academic department offices, research and advocacy offices, the Jesuit Residence, and a dialogue center in its eleven floors. Martin Hall has sports and athletic facilities— volleyball and basketball courts, jogging track, and a fitness center as well as a multipurpose hall—in four of its seven floors. The other floors have the Office of Student Affairs, offices of student organizations, and carparks.
Other University facilities in the Jacinto Campus include the Fitness and Wellness Center (2016), the Lactation Room (2017), and the University Swimming Pool (2018). Sports facilities in the Matina Campus include the Fr. Rodolfo A. Malasmas SJ Swimming Pool and the all-weather running track, both inaugurated in 2012.
Every year since 2012, several Ignatian Conversations have been organized in the name of integral formation (F). Retreats and recollections for faculty, staff, and students are held all year-round and have included the College of Law since 2016. Induction programs for both faculty and staff have been institutionalized since 2015. The formation of retreat guides started in 2017.
Further, the St. Ignatius Spirituality Center (SISC) was built in 2014 to be a place for prayer and reflection on the Island Garden of Samal. The SISC accommodates silent and individually-guided retreats and provides refuge, rest and solitude for members of the Ateneo community, as well as interested others.
In 2015, Our Lady of the Assumption Chapel, another place of worship and prayer, was blessed. The chapel interiors are rich with cultural symbols and images of Mindanao in brass, wood, and fabric. Murals depict Bible stories in oil on canvas. “It supports the catholicity of the University in the multiethnic context of Mindanao and its culture of Ignatian spirituality.”
In the area of excellent instruction (I), additional degree programs began to be offered from 2012 to 2017 to provide integrated, humane, and professional educational formation that is transformative, globally competitive, Mindanao-responsive and socially conscious, and imparts to the learner a lifelong passion for learning and action for the greater glory of God. Among these programs are Bachelor of Public Management, Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies, Bachelor of Arts in Islamic Studies, Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship, major in Agribusiness, as well as Master of Arts in Anthropology and Master of Tropical Risk Management.
The University was instrumental in establishing the Tboli Sbù Senior High School in June 2015. It is the first indigenous Senior High School in the country. Its first Graduation Ceremonies were held in April 2017. The University opened its own Senior High School in June 2016. The unit’s base of operations is in the Finster Hall of the Jacinto Campus. In June 2018, the unit shall be moving to the new Bangkal Campus. To ensure the delivery of excellent instruction across units, the Academic Vice President’s scope of work, which originally covered the College Unit and Law School, was expanded to include the other academic units—Grade School, Junior High School, Senior High School—in 2017.
To solidify efforts in research (R), and engagement and advocacy (E), seven offices and centers were established between 2013 and 2017: the Natural Family Planning Center (NFPC) in 2013, the Joint Ateneo Institute for Mindanao Economics (JAIME) and Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO) in 2016; the Center for Politics and International Affairs (CPIA), Center Against Illegal Drugs (CAID), and the University Research Ethics Committee (UREC), all in 2017. In 2017, Ecoteneo became a University office; it began as a Matina Campus office in 2013.
Established earlier in 2012 were the following Centers under the aegis of URC and UCEAC: the Center of Psychological Extension and Research Services (COPERS), Ateneo Public Interest and Legal Advocacy Center (APILA), Ateneo Migration Center (AMC), Tropical Institute for Climate Studies (TropICS), Al Qalam Institute for Islamic Identities and Dialogue in Southeast Asia (Al Qalam), Center for Renewable Energy and Alternative Technologies (CREATe), Ateneo Institute of Anthropology (AIA), and Mindanawon Initiatives for Cultural Dialogue.
They joined the pre-2000 offices, including the Social Research, Training, and Development Office (SRTDO), Publication Office, Tambara, and Center for Business Research and Extension (CBRE), which are under URC, and the Legal Aid Office, Institute for Socio-Economic Development Initiatives (ISEDI), Ateneo Resource Center for Local Governance (ARCLG), which are under UCEAC.
The Office of the President initiated the Pakighinabi conversation series in 2012 “to provide members of the University community a platform to discuss multidisciplinary issues and concerns in a more informal and conversational manner.” Its goal is to create a structure for conversations in the frame of social justice and the common good in the pursuit of forming AdDU sui generis leaders. Topics covered include Constitutional change and federalism, interreligious dialogue, Enhanced Bangsamoro Basic Law, peacebuilding, among others.
Other University engagements include the Mindanao Peace Games (2015), which promotes inter-university, interreligious, intercultural, and interpersonal contact through sports; the Arrupe Office of Social Formation’s Cardoner Volunteer Program (2016); the Al Qalam’s Salaam Youth Movement (2017), which promotes unity in diversity and sustainable and inclusive peace in Mindanao; and the Madaris Volunteer Program (2015), which the University implements with the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) to promote inter- and intrafaith dialogue through immersion.
The engagement efforts are aimed at promoting and advocating “social justice and the common good for the empowerment of the poor, oppressed, the marginalized, and the excluded through collaborative, sustainable, and purposive initiatives that give utmost respect to human dignity, leading to reconciliation with the Creator, nature, and the human society by and through each and every member of the Ateneo de Davao community—as graced by God and as grateful stewards.”
A Career Center and Alumni Hub was inaugurated in 2018. It aims to develop students’ occupational maturity through career exploration and counseling, as well as provide alumni with information on career planning, job opportunities, and graduate studies. Also in 2018, the University Board of Trustees approved a new school for multilevel adult education to enhance human development, technopreneurship, and continuing professional development: the Ateneo de Davao Academy for Lifelong Learning (ADD-ALL). The ADD-ALL is a project of the Office of the President.
The Ateneo Internationalization for Mindanao (AIM) Office was established in June 2019 as a realization of Ateneo de Davao University’s revitalized vision and mission; that ‘as Filipino, it contributes to and serves Mindanao’—in its formation of graduates whose world-class competencies are ultimately dedicated to Mindanao—while at the same time being in service of a mission that ‘promotes cultural understanding and friendship with its Asian neighbours.’ AIM functions as the University’s primary support for the development and implementation of international projects and activities. One of the most prominent and the latest of these active partnerships is ADDU’s collaboration with Huaqiao University for the inauguration of the Confucius Institute. This particular partnership is at the height of ADDU’s promotion of cultural understanding with its Asian neighbors. The Confucius Institute’s establishment in ADDU is geared towards enhancing Sino-Philippine friendship and empowers cultural and educational exchanges between the two countries through Chinese language and culture studies.
As the Ateneo de Davao University prepares for its 75th Year, it moves forward to much greater service through AFIRE— transformative administration and services, integral formation, excellent instruction, robust research and publication, as well as vibrant engagement and advocacy, all informed by Jesuit ideals of finding God in all things and working for God’s greater glory.
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