Urdaneta City University

Urdaneta City University (UCU) (Tagalog: Pamantasang Lungsod ng Urdaneta) (also referred to as UCU) is a public university on 3 hectares of land in San Vicente West, Urdaneta City, Philippines. In 2004, CCU became the first Character School in Region I, inculcating in its students the need for academic excellence and, more importantly, character transformation.UCU started as a rewarding concept of Dr. Pedro T. Orata, world-renowned educator and Ramon Magsaysay awardee to establish an education complex that will provide basic education all the way through higher education in a single compound. With mayor Amadeo R. Perez Jr., Orata founded UCU using the proceeds of the 1966 town fiesta celebration. Like the community colleges of the U.S.A., the college started with an enrollment of 144 students, who came from the rural areas. The college, using the facilities of Urdaneta City National High School (UCNHS) for its early years, commenced with the provisional permit to open a two-year General Education course granted by the Secretary of Education on February 4, 1966. The Secretary further approved the program for non-formal education; hence, short-term courses in agriculture and retail business for adults were also offered to assist them in enhancing their earning capabilities.