The Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Program offered by the College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) at Visayas State University (VSU) was awarded Level IV Re-accredited Status by the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and Universities in the Philippines (AACCUP), Inc. This recognition, granted on July 16, 2024, is the highest level of accreditation from AACCUP and reflects more than a decade of hard work by the college.
CVM’s accreditation journey began in 2010 when its Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) program first received candidate status. Since then, under the leadership of four deans – from its founding dean Dr. Tomas J. Fernandez, Jr. to its current dean, Dr. Harvie P. Portugaliza – the college has worked to meet the standards of AACCUP, ultimately achieving Level IV Re-accredited Status.
The most challenging phase in CVM’s accreditation journey was the Level IV Phase 2 accreditation held from April 20-22, 2022. This was AACCUP’s first online accreditation, an adjustment made due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Adding to the complexity, the VSU community was still reeling from the impact of Tropical Storm Agaton on April 11, 2022, just days before the accreditation interviews. Furthermore, four CVM faculty members were attending engagements at the University of Zagreb in Croatia during this period. However, thanks to CVM’s advanced preparations which ensured all necessary documents were completed beforehand, and to the flexibility of the online format, which allowed remote participation, the accreditation process proceeded smoothly despite these challenges.
AACCUP accreditation involves adherence to the policies, standards, and guidelines (PSGs) set by the Commission on Higher Education, with the DVM program’s guidelines detailed in CMO No. 1, Series of 2018. Thus, this accreditation award confirms that the DVM program meets these standards, affirming the college’s commitment to delivering quality education.
The results of this recent AACCUP evaluation were communicated to the Office of the President of VSU, which forwarded the award to CVM. In her letter, Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes recognized the dedication and teamwork that led to this accomplishment, affirming CVM’s commitment to maintaining quality veterinary education. While this Level IV Re-accredited Status is valid until July 15, 2029, CVM remains committed to enhancing the quality of education it provides.
With continued support from the VSU community – particularly from the Quality Assurance Office, whose assistance was instrumental in all of CVM’s AACCUP accreditations – CVM looks forward to many more years of growth, preparing its graduates to excel in the field of veterinary medicine.
[This article aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals: No. 4 (Quality Education), and No. 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)]
Tags: #AACCUP, #iloveVSU, #SoarCVM-VSU, #SustainableDevelopmentGoals, #Viscan, #VSU
