What had been plans on paper are now cleared to move forward.
 
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has given the green light to two more ISUFST programs: the Doctor of Information Technology (DIT) and Bachelor of Science in Ship Business Management, both receiving their Certificates of Program Compliance (COPCs).
 
The approval allows ISUFST to offer both programs beginning Academic Year 2026–2027 under CHED En Banc Resolution No. 639-2026, as confirmed in a CHED communication dated September 9, 2026. The Commission said the corresponding certificates will be transmitted once processing is completed.
 
For ISUFST, the approval means more than adding two programs to its academic offerings. It opens new pathways for students and professionals in two fields becoming increasingly important to the University—advanced information technology and maritime studies.
 
The COPC is an important mark of quality assurance for a higher education institution. It confirms that a program has met CHED’s prescribed standards and requirements and is authorized to operate—giving students and families greater assurance that the program they are entering is properly recognized and compliant.
 
It is worth noting that the university continues to hold 100% COPC performance since its university-hood in 2023.
 
Before the addition of the two newly approved programs, ISUFST already offered 27 undergraduate and 23 graduate programs across its five campuses and sites for Academic Year 2026–2027. These offerings span fisheries and marine sciences, agriculture, education, technology, business and management, hospitality, and other professional and graduate fields. With the DIT and BS Ship Business Management now joining the University’s academic portfolio, students have even more pathways to choose from as ISUFST responds to changing community needs, professional opportunities, and industries
 
University President Dr. Nordy D. Siason Jr. welcomed the development as another step in the direction ISUFST has been steadily pursuing.
 
“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 fit naturally into 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. For the University, that vision is taking shape not simply through more programs, but through programs intended to respond to where communities and industries are headed.
 
For the DIT, the approval strengthens ISUFST’s investment in technology and advanced professional education. The BS Ship Business Management, meanwhile, broadens the University’s maritime direction beyond its longstanding roots in fisheries and marine sciences, creating another pathway for students interested in the wider maritime industry.
 
The latest approvals also build on years of work to keep ISUFST’s academic programs aligned with national standards. The new approvals build on ISUFST’s continuing work to keep its programs responsive and up to standard. CHED has also recognized the University for its efforts in community extension, internationalization, peace and Indigenous Peoples education, and student services.
 
From its fisheries beginnings in 1957, ISUFST has steadily grown into a university serving a much wider range of learners. It has not left its roots behind; it has simply grown from them, opening new opportunities in technology, maritime studies, and other emerging fields.
 
The COPC approval now turns months of planning, preparation, documentation, and compliance work into something students can actually see and pursue: two more doors opening at ISUFST.
 
Further details on program implementation, admission requirements, and enrollment will be released through official ISUFST channels.