Centro Escolar University

Centro Escolar University also referred to by its acronym CEU is a private non-sectarian higher education institution in San Miguel Manila, Philippines. It was founded in 1907 by Librada Avelino and Carmen de Luna as the Centro Escolar de Señoritas. CEU has six campuses: the main campus, Mendiola; the Malolos campus; the Las Piñas campus; the Cebu City campus; and the Makati campuses (Gil Puyat and Legaspi Village campuses). More than 50 academic programs are offered. CEU is accredited by the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines and the Philippine Association of Colleges and Universities' Commission on Accreditation (as a Level IV school), and has full autonomous status from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). It is certified by the Institute of Corporate Directors, Department of Trade and Industry, SGS S.A., Arthram International Organization for Standardization, and the ASEAN University Network. In 2022, CEU was awarded with the Safety Seal from the Department of the Interior and Local Government, for meeting minimum public health standards following the COVID-19 pandemic shutdowns. History CEU was established in 1907 by pedagogists Librada Avelino and Carmen de Luna as the Centro Escolar de Señoritas, based in Parañaque. Its main purpose was to teach "ideal womanhood, intelligent citizenry, and democratic leadership that would instill in [the women] the tenets of science and virtue." It was the first nonsectarian women's school in the Philippines. When it opened, CEU only had one blackboard, some benches, and a few books, and it wasn't until 1921 that CEU established its first program: the College of Pharmacy. It was followed by the Colleges of Liberal Arts, Education, Dentistry, and Optometry. It began operating as a university in 1930 and in 1932 was converted into a corporation for financial reasons. Its name was then changed to Centro Escolar University, which still holds today. In 2009, the School of Law and Jurisprudence was established.