The University of Saint La Salle (USLS) broke ground for its Ramon F. Villavicencio AFSC Center for Innovation and Technology at its 55-hectare property in Barangay Granada, Bacolod City, on Tuesday, December 16.
The aim of the new center is to attract students from the entire Western Visayas, due to the highly qualified faculty of their College of Computer Studies, USLS president Joaquin Severino “Kenneth” Martinez said.
The majority of the faculty members are currently pursuing doctorate degrees in information technology at De La Salle University in Manila, he said.
“We will have a powerhouse of academic giants who will spearhead innovation and technology”, Martinez said.
USLS is also exploring the possibility of relocating the Allied Medical Health Sciences courses to the Granada Campus, Martinez added.
With the current USLS student population exceeding 14,000, there is a need to decongest their main campus to create a more conducive learning environment, he said.
Martinez emphasized that a better environment amidst nature is more conducive for working, teaching, and learning.
“Hopefully other colleges will follow as long as we can find support from donations or joint venture agreements plus our savings,” Martinez said.
The Granada campus is also home to the USLS Agribusiness Farm and Science Ecological Park, Bahay Pag-asa Youth Center, and Ecological Park.*