CHED approves ISUFST IT, ship business management programs

BAROTAC NUEVO, Iloilo — The Commission on Higher Education has approved two additional programs at Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology: the Doctor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Science in Ship Business Management.

Both programs received certificates of program compliance, or COPCs, clearing ISUFST to offer them beginning in academic year 2026–27.

The approval was granted under CHED En Banc Resolution No. 639-2026 and confirmed in a commission communication dated Sept. 9, 2026.

CHED said the corresponding certificates will be transmitted once processing is completed.

For ISUFST, the approval expands academic pathways in two fields the university considers increasingly important: advanced information technology and maritime studies.

A COPC recognizes that a degree program offered by a state or local university complies with CHED policies, standards, and guidelines.

ISUFST said it has maintained 100% COPC compliance since attaining university status in 2023.

Before the two newly approved programs were added, ISUFST offered 27 undergraduate and 23 graduate programs across its five campuses and sites for academic year 2026–27.

Those programs span fisheries and marine sciences, agriculture, education, technology, business and management, hospitality, and other professional and graduate fields.

The Doctor of Information Technology and BS Ship Business Management expand those options as ISUFST responds to changing community needs, professional opportunities, and industry demands.

ISUFST President Nordy D. Siason Jr. welcomed the approvals as another step in the university’s continued expansion.

“Every new program we open must answer a real need and create real opportunities for our students and communities.”

“The approval of our Doctor of Information Technology and BS Ship Business Management programs strengthens two areas that are important to our future—technology and maritime studies.”

“More than expanding our offerings, we are widening the choices available to our learners and preparing them for industries that continue to evolve.”

“We are grateful to CHED and to everyone in the University who patiently worked to bring these programs to this point,” Siason said.

The two programs also support ISUFST’s vision of becoming a leading and empowering research university in fisheries, agriculture, education, maritime studies, arts, sciences, and technology in Southeast Asia by 2030.

The Doctor of Information Technology strengthens ISUFST’s investment in technology and advanced professional education.

The BS Ship Business Management program broadens the university’s maritime focus beyond its longstanding roots in fisheries and marine sciences while creating another pathway for students interested in the wider maritime industry.

The approvals build on ISUFST’s continuing efforts to align its academic programs with national higher education standards.

CHED has also recognized the university for its work in community extension, internationalization, peace education, Indigenous Peoples education, and student affairs and services.

ISUFST received multiple CHED Regional Quality Awards in 2026, following similar recognitions in 2024 and 2025.

The institution traces its roots to 1957, when Barotac Nuevo High School was converted into the Central Iloilo National School of Fisheries.

CHED granted the former Iloilo State College of Fisheries full university status on Jan. 10, 2023, creating what is now Iloilo State University of Fisheries Science and Technology.

The latest COPC approvals turn months of planning, preparation, documentation, and compliance work into two additional academic options for prospective students.

Further details on program implementation, admission requirements, and enrollment will be released through official ISUFST channels. (Herman Lagon/PAMMCO)