University of Southern Mindanao

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The University of Southern Mindanao (USM), or Pamantasan ng Dakong Timog ng Mindanao in Filipino, is a public state university in the southern Philippines. It was previously known as the Mindanao Institute of Technology (MIT) and focuses on science, technology, agriculture, and industry.

History and status
USM was founded to promote technical and higher education in Mindanao. Mindanao Institute of Technology was created by law in 1952 and opened in 1954. It became a university on March 13, 1978. The university is led by President Jonald L. Pimentel, Ph.D., and has a strong emphasis on instruction, research, and community extension, with later recognition of resource generation as part of its mission.

Campus and people
USM’s main campus covers about 1,024 hectares in Kabacan, Cotabato, with additional extension campuses. The university serves roughly 15,000 to 20,000 students, including about 11,408 undergraduates, and employs around 1,600 administrative staff and nearly 500 faculty members. The endowment is about PHP 225 million.

What USM offers
USM has 11 colleges and 1 institute, offering about 90 degree programs across associate, undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels. The institution provides laboratories, teacher training facilities, and various short courses. It runs extensive research and extension programs to serve farmers and the broader community.

Research and partnerships
Two main research arms drive USM’s work: the University of Southern Mindanao Agricultural Research Center (USMARC) and the Philippine Industrial Crops Research Institute (PICRI). USMARC is a national center for corn, sorghum, and fruit crops, and a regional center for rice, cereals, livestock, water resources, and related fields. PICRI is the national center for rubber, fiber crops, coffee, spices, cacao, and other crops, with the Philippine Rubber Testing Center (PRTC) for rubber science. USM also hosts the Cotabato Agricultural and Resources Research and Development Consortium (CARRDEC) and the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC). The Extension Office coordinates farmer training, demonstration farms, consultancy, and public education.

Publications and culture
USM and its colleges publish several materials, including USM Press, USM Monitor, Techno Guide, and the USM R&D Journal. The student magazine is Mindanao Tech, with each college and institute also producing its own publications. The university’s colors are green and gold, and its nickname is USMA. It maintains affiliations with organizations such as SCUAA, MASCUFF, PASUC, and AACCUP.