The MSU-IIT History

Although MSU-IIT only comes officially into being on July 12, 1968, to talk about its history necessitates a quick mention of the series of schools that used to occupy the space where the present campus now sits.

The first educational institution to be established in the Iligan location is the Iligan Junior High School (1946). The school is renamed Iligan High School (1948) and Iligan City High School when Iligan becomes a chartered city (1950). The school is then converted (1956) into a vocational school and placed under the Bureau of Vocational Education carrying the name Lanao Norte Technical School which is then changed (early 1960’s) to the more familiar Lanao Technical School or LTS.

Republic Act. No. 4626 that is signed into law (1965) by former President Diosdado Macapagal seeks to convert the LTS into a vocational college with the name Northern Mindanao Institute of Technology (NMIT). Although the said law is never implemented, its enactment set off a series of events that culminated in MSU - the nearest existing state university - casting an eye on the Iligan location.

1967

The MSU Board of Regents authorizes in April the MSU President, Dr. Antonio Isidro, to officially explore the possibility of expanding into Iligan City by utilizing the campus of the Northern Mindanao Institute of Technology (NMIT) that is formerly known as Lanao Technical School. By July, the MSU Extension Division in Iligan City (also referred to as Iligan Extension Unit) opens, offering a short General Education Curriculum, and with Prof. Victoria J. Adeva as director.

1968

President Ferdinand E. Marcos signs into law R.A. No. 5363 that changes the name of the NMIT into Iligan Institute of Technology and integrates it into the MSU System. The law is authored by Lanao del Norte Representative Mohammad Ali Dimaporo and Lanao del Sur Representative Rashid Lucman.

1973

Former Acting President of MSU, Prof. Manaros B. Boransing, is appointed Dean of IIT. Under his leadership, IIT becomes the flagship campus of the MSU System. Boransing stays on until 1988 holding the title, Vice President for MSU-IIT.

1975

MSU-IIT becomes the first autonomous unit of the MSU System.

1988

Dr. Camar A. Umpa takes over from Prof. Boransing. He sets the Institute on the path to research university status and empowers individual offices to be able to contribute to the whole. Dr. Umpa is the first Chancellor of MSU-IIT and goes on to become President of the MSU System afterwards.

2000

Prof. Marcelo P. Salazar is chosen as the Chancellor of IIT. He is credited for ushering the Institute into the digital age. Under Prof. Salazar’s term, MSU-IIT becomes a center of academic excellence. He is also the first Christian to head MSU-IIT.

2011

Public administration expert and former ambassador Prof. Sukarno D. Tanggol becomes the third Chancellor of MSU-IIT. Prof. Tanggol protects MSU-IIT’s gains and continues its march towards becoming a world-class institution excelling in science and technology while remaining committed to the holistic development of the individual and society.

2016

The Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) awards a total of seven MSU-IIT programs as Centers of Excellence (COE) and 11 others as Centers of Development (COD). The total of COEs and CODs makes IIT the record holder of most number of COEs and CODs in Mindanao.

2018

MSU-IIT breaks into the top 500 best universities in Asia list in the rankings released by the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings: Asia 2019. The recognition is a clear affirmation of MSU-IIT’s role as a leading university of the Philippines.

2019

MSU-IIT holds record setting June graduation with 2,494 graduates, the most number of graduates in the Institute’s history. The speaker for this commencement exercises (the the Institute’s 49th) is Maestro Raymundo Cipriano “Ryan” P. Cayabyab.

This year, MSU-IIT is also recognized as the 10th Top Philippine University in the 2019 World Ranking Web of Universities (Webometrics).

2020

Through rigorous and independent data collection and analysis of performance metrics as set out in the QS Stars methodology, QS rates MSU-IIT as a 3-Star institution.

2021

MSU-IIT retains its spot in the 2022 QS World University Rankings: Asia. Despite retaining the rank, results show that the scores of MSU-IIT have improved in the survey areas compared to the previous year's scores, with academic reputation as the “strongest stone” for the university.

Earlier in the year, MSU-IIT is awarded the ISO 9001:2015 certification.

MSU-IIT then moves up in the Webometrics Ranking Web of Universities: July 2021 among Philippine schools. This year, it lands on the 6th spot, which is an improvement from last year’s ranking at 8th.

The university ranks 4th among eight Philippine universities and 523rd out of 956 participating universities worldwide in the 2021 Universitas Indonesia's Green Metric Ranking.

Moreover, the university has solidified its reputation as a leading university in Mindanao by being named a Center for Sustainable Polymers - the first of its kind in the country.

It is a double victory for MSU-IIT in the September 2021 Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET) - Secondary Level when the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) announces that the Institute is the second top performing school and that its graduate, Kayco B. Bullecer, makes it to the 8th spot in the list of top successful examinees.

A team of young innovators who are alumni of the College of Computer Studies wins special awards during the Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Catalyst Virtual Pitching Competition 2021.

With their startup called Galansiyang, CEO Jay Gajudo, with team members: Joshua Michael Fernandez, Dreamer Jay Lamberte, Maynard Jay N. Costanilla, and Jiko Colita, went through the final rounds and bagged the People’s Choice award and the Spirit of Global Innovation through Science and Technology award.

Galansiyang becomes the very first Filipino startup to represent Asia/Pacific in the final rounds of the said international competition.

2022

Lawyer by profession, Prof. Alizedney M. Ditucalan, JD, LLM becomes the fourth chancellor of MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology. He is elected on February 28 in Manila by the members of the MSU Board of Regents as Dr. Sukarno D. Tanggol’s successor. Chancellor Ditucalan begins his leadership with the efforts to “solidify what MSU-IIT has already achieved and to superimpose upon it a layer of high commitment to see through the continuity of the visions of the past leaders.” His administration is focused on transforming MSU-IIT into a research-intensive university under the banner Influencing the Future.

In the same year, MSU-IIT breaks into the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, placing in the 801-1000 rank.

The Commission on Higher Education also recognizes the university for its outstanding performance, excellent contributions, and initiatives as a higher education institution, and for the pride and honor these achievements have brought to the Region X community.

MSU-IIT receives the 2022 Center for Excellence (COE) Award, as well as certificates of merit and recognition.

Prof. Jan Mickelle Maratas, PhD, Physics Professor at the College of Science and Mathematics, is ranked as the country’s no. 1 scientist in 2022 by the AD (Alper-Doger) Scientific Index.

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