GMA, CHED commend AMA

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) formally confirmed the university hood of AMA Computer University (AMACU) to elevate the status of the country’s computer education pioneer during the investiture of its first university president held Tuesday night at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Manila.

CHEd chairwoman Dr. Ester Garcia read the university confirmations and led the investiture and administration oath of Dr. Amable Aguiluz V as first university president of AMACU before Vice-President and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teofisto Guingona, Senate President Franklin Drilon,Speaker Jose de Venecia and Education Secretary Raul Roco, among other guests.

President Arroyo meanwhile conveyed her recognition to Asia’s first and largest IT University and Dr. Aguiluz for its unwavering dedication in uplifting IT literacy among Filipinos.

"As we face the challenges of the new economy, I am certain that we can count on AMA Computer University and with Dr. Aguiluz in raising the quality of education in the country, particularly computer education, and in widening our country’s reservoir of effective leaders and nation builders," Mrs. Arroyo said.

Dr. Aguiluz has vowed to support the Arroyo administration in shaping the future of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Philippines through quality education.

On his investiture address, Dr. Aguiluz said, "We may have limited resources to acquire the most expensive and the latest computer hardware but we have limitless intellectual capacities to take the lead and change the world."

In partnership with Microsoft, AMACU also vowed to produce 10,000 Microsoft Certified Professionals this school year as they broaden their market reach with the establishment of an "e-learning hub" in the Middle East.

With the support of Prime Minister Shaik Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, this Bahrain-based "e-learning hub" will cater to more than 1.5 million overseas Filipino workers in the Arab region, making continuous IT education a possibility for OFWs in a foreign land.

In pursuit of these aspirations, Dr. Aguiluz unveiled the establishment of the AMA Computer University Town, known as the First University IT Park with broadband technology in a 50-hectare property in General Trias, Cavite.

As a university that meets global standards, AMA keeps pace with developments abroad by establishing partnerships with industry leaders such as Cisco Systems, SmartForce, Avaya Communications, National Computing Center of the United Kingdom (NCC-UK), and the University of California-Berkeley.

AMACU is the first to offer a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and the first university to become ISO 9001 certified. AMACU is also the first IT school to be granted the PACUCOA second level accreditation and has pioneered on offering new degree courses in Mechatronics Engineering, Engineering Informatics, Manufacturing Engineering, and Logistics Engineering and Management.