Search for www.chanrobles.com
Home > Chan Robles Virtual Law Library > Philippine Laws, Statutes & Codes > Republic Acts

REPUBLIC ACTS




Republic of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines

Metro Manila

Fourteenth Congress
First Regular Session


Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-third day of July, two thousand seven.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9500
April 29, 2008

AN ACT TO STRENGTHEN THE UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES AS THE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "University of the Philippines Charter of 2008."

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The University of the Philippines is hereby declared as the national university.

The State shall promote, foster, nurture and protect the right of all citizens to accessible quality education. Toward this end, it is the policy of the State to strengthen the University of the Philippines as the national university.

Sec. 3. Purpose of the University. - As the national university, a public and secular institution of higher learning, and a community of scholars dedicated to the search for truth and knowledge as well as the development of future leaders, the University of the Philippines shall perform its unique and distinctive leadership in higher education and development. The University shall:

(a) Lead in setting academic standards and initiating innovations in teaching, research and faculty development in philosophy, the arts and humanities, the social sciences, professions and engineering, natural sciences, mathematics, and technology; and maintain centers of excellence in such disciplines and professions;

(b) Serve as a graduate university by providing advanced studies and specialization for scholars, scientists, writers, artist and professionals, specially those who serve on the faculty of state and private colleges and universities;

(c) Serve as a research university in various fields of expertise and specialization by conducting basic and applied research and development, and promoting research in various colleges and universities, and contributing to the dissemination and application of knowledge;

(d) Lead as a public service university by providing various forms of community, public, and volunteer service, as well as scholarly and technical assistance to the government, the private sector, and civil society while maintaining its standards of excellence;

(e) Protect and promote the professional and economic rights and welfare of its academic and non-academic personnel;

(f) Provide opportunities for training and learning in leadership, responsible citizenship, and the development of democratic values, institutions and practice through academic and non-academic programs, including sports and the enhancement of nationalism and national identity;

(g) Serve as a regional and global university in cooperation with international and scientiGc unions, networks of universities, scholarly and professional associations in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world; and

(h) Provide democratic governance in the University based on collegiality, representation, accountability, transparency and active participation of its constituents, and promote the holding of fora for students, faculty, research, extension and professional staff (REPS), staff, and alumni to discuss non-academic issues affecting the University.

Sec. 4. The University System. - The University of the Philippines is a university system and shall be composed of constituent universities established solely by its Board of Regents upon the recommendation of the President of the University. The University of the Philippines System is composed of its existing constituent universities, as follows: University of the Philippines Diliman; University of the Philippines Manila; University of the Philippines Los Baños; University of the Philippines Visayas; University of the Philippines Mindanao; University of the Philippines Baguio; University of the Philippines Open University; and those that may be created in the future. It is referred to in this law as the "National Univerity."

Sec. 5. Academic Freedom. - The national university has the right and responsibility to exercise academic freedom.

Sec. 6. Academic Excellence. - The national university has the respo