Mindanao State University is a public coeducational institution of higher education and research in the Islamic city of Marawi, Philippines. Founded in 1961, it is the flagship and the largest campus of the Mindanao State University System.
Mindanao State University (MSU) was established on September 1, 1961 through RA 1387, as amended, was the brain child of the late Senator Domocao A. Alonto, as one of the government’s responses to the so-called “Mindanao Problem”.
The original missionof the university was anchored on instruction, research and extension. The 1954 Congressional Committee conceptualized it as a social laboratory for national integration.
For the main campus in Marawi City starting with 282 students and 12 faculty members in its pioneering classes in 1962, it has grown to a multi-campus supra-regional university system, serving over 69,000 students in all levels with nearly 3,100 faculty members.
The locales of the University campuses are vibrant, which makes Mindanao State University System (MSUS) a distinctive university and special place for any students. It is also the only university directly charged by the government to advance the cause of national unity and actively pursue integration through education.
Today, MSU has various units in strategic areas which cut across the Mindanao regions. From a one campus university in Marawi City. MSU has grown to a multi-campus university of eight autonomous campuses, which include: MSU-Main in Marawi City, MSU-IIT in Iligan City, MSU-TCTO in Tawi-Tawi, MSU-Naawan in Misamis Oriental, MSU-Maguindanao, MSU-General Santos, MSU-Sulu in Jolo and MSU Buug in Zamboanga Sibugay.
In addition, three (3) former CHED- Supervised Institutions (CSIS) of higher learning are now considered integrated campuses into the MSU System, namely: Lanao National College of Arts and Trade (LNCAT), Lanao Norte Agricultural College (LNAC) and Maigo School of Arts and Trade (MSAT).
Charter Mandate of MSU
As enshrined in its Charter (RA 1387), MSU was established in Marawi City on September 1, 1961 to achieve the following objectives:
- Educate the youth of Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan (MINSUPALA) by offering degree programs in various fields of learning;
- Support businesses and industries in the region by providing their manpower requirements; and
- Integrate the Muslims and the other cultural minorities into the mainstream of national life.
Nature and Features of MSU
- MSU is an affirmative action policy instrument for the multiculturalist integration of the Muslims and other cultural minorities into the mainstream of national life;
- MSU is a policy instrument to capacitate the Muslims and other minority cultural communities to catch up with the more advanced regions in the country;
- MSU has a peace building mandate, with most of its campuses located in conflict- affected areas in Mindanao. MSU campuses are expected to compete with MILF, MNLF and ASG camps in attracting young Muslims. Moreover, being in key areas of conflict, some of MSU campuses (especially MSU-Marawi) require adequate number of security personnel; and
- Most MSU campuses are residential universities entailing huge maintenance and operating expenses. Aside from their big number of academic and administrative buildings, many MSU campuses have student dormitories, faculty and staff cottages, and huge land areas.
MSU System
Mindanao State University System is the only university in the Philippines with a special mandate of integrating the cultural communities, specially the Muslims into the mainstream of the nation’s socio-cultural and political life by providing them with opportunities for quality and relevant public education for their self development and providing trained manpower skills and technical know-how for the economic development of the Mindanao, Sulu (Basilan and Tawi-Tawi) and Palawan region.
Nature and Features of MSU
1. MSU is an affirmative action for the integration of the Muslims and other cultural minorities into the mainstream of national life, and a policy instrument to capacitate their communities to catch up with the more developed regions in the country. Hence, MSU needs a “catching up” budget for it to play a significant role in the development of its service-area.
2. MSU has an urgent peace building or counter-insurgency mandate, with most of its campuses located in conflict- affected areas in Mindanao. MSU campuses are expected to compete with the camps of the MILF, MNLF and Abu Sayyaf in attracting /coopting young Muslims.
3. Most MSU campuses are residential universities entailing huge maintenance and operating expenses. Aside from their big number of academic and administrative buildings, many MSU campuses have student dormitories, faculty and staff cottages, and huge land areas. For example, MSU Main Campus in Marawi City has 250 faculty and staff cottages, and 9 student dormitories. Most of these structures are too old and dilapidated; many of them are more than four decades old!
Colleges and Schools
- College of Agriculture (COA)
- College of Business Administration and Accountancy (CBAA)
- College of Education (CED)
- College of Engineering (COE)
- College of Fisheries (COF)
- College of Forestry and Environmental Studies (CFES)
- College of Health Sciences (CHS)
- College of Hotel and Restaurant Management (CHARM)
- College of Information Technology (CIT)
- College of Law (COL): It has two extensions in Iligan City and General Santos City.
- College of Medicine (COM) — in Iligan City
- College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (CNSM)
- College of Public Affairs (CPA)
- College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH)
- College of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation (CSPEAR)
- Institute of Science Education – Science High School (ISED-SHS)
- Integrated Laboratory School (ILS)
- King Faisal Center for Islamic, Arabic and Asian Studies (KFCIAAS)
- Graduate Studies (GS)
- Senior High School
MSU Campuses
MSU, has a multi – regional service area. Its 11 collegiate campuses are located in 8 provinces, in 4 of the 6 regions in Mindanao, as follows:
- ARMM (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao)
- MSU Main Campus (Marawi City, Lanao del Sur)
- MSU-LNCAT (Marawi City, Lanao del Sur)
- MSU-Maguindanao (Dinaig, Maguindanao)
- MSU-Sulu (Jolo, Sulu)
- MSU-TCTO (Bongao, Tawi-Tawi)
- Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula)
Region X (Northern Mindanao)
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- MSU-IIT (Iligan City, Lanao del Norte)
- MSU-Naawan (Naawan, Misamis Oriental)
- MSU-LNAC (SND, Lanao del Norte)
- MSU-MSAT (Maigo, Lanao del Norte)
- Region XII (SOCCSKSARGEN)
