University of the Philippines Mindanao


The University of the Philippines Mindanao is a public research university, serving as the sixth constituent unit of the University of the Philippines System. UP Mindanao is the only constituent university of the UP System that was created through legislative action.
The university offers 12 undergraduate degree programs and 11 graduate programs heavily inclined in research through its two colleges and one school. The university is the one of its kind in the Philippines to have a discipline in Agribusiness Economics, and is one of the three worldwide to have such a degree program.

History

Republic Act 7889, entitled, "An Act Creating the University of the Philippines Mindanao," was enacted into law on February 20, 1995, by President Fidel V. Ramos, after decades of lobbying from Mindanaoan UP alumni for the creation of a “UP in Mindanao". On March 22 of the same year, the Board of Regents passed a resolution officially creating the University of the Philippines Mindanao. To emphasize the importance of RA 7889 to the Mindanaoans, a re-enactment of the signing was held at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, with President Ramos himself in attendance. In that same year, Rogelio V. Cuyno was appointed as UP Mindanao's first dean.
The Lee Business Center in Juan Luna Street corner J. de la Cruz Street, and the Casa Mercado Building in Matina served as UP Mindanao's home from March to September 1995 and from September 1995 to January 1996 respectively, until it finally found its home at Ladislawa Avenue. In 1997, the Elias B. Lopez Residential Hall was constructed. It was initially envisioned to be a dormitory for female students, as the existing structures used by UP Mindanao inside the Philippine Coconut Authority building was a male-only dormitory.

Organization

Administration

UP Mindanao is governed by the 11-member Board of Regents composed of the UP President, the Chairman of the Commission on Higher Education, the chairpersons of the Committee of Higher Education of the Senate and the House of Representatives, four regents representing the student, faculty, alumni and staff sectors, and three regents who are appointed by the President of the Philippines.
The President of the university is an ex officio member of the University Council of each constituent university and presides over its meetings whenever present.

Colleges

UP Mindanao is composed of three academic units:
Even before the establishment of UPMin, Barangay Mintal and Barangay Bago Oshiro, are known for its agriculture research centers. The Philippine Science High School Southern Mindanao Campus at nearby Barangay Sto. Niño and the Mindanao Science Centrum at Barangay Bago Oshiro further define the area as an "academic and research hub".
With the establishment of UPMin in Mintal, there became a university town within Davao City, with businesses and establishments built around the university accommodating to the needs of the students and faculty. Furthermore, the UP Mindanao Land Use and Master Development Plan aims to create UP Mindanao a "Green University Town", being a "garden" campus with emphasis on the Mindanaoan culture, with each building reflecting each ethnolinguistic group in Mindanao