About

The Ateneo de Naga University is a private and research university run by the Society of Jesus in Naga City in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. It is also known by the acronym AdNU. It was established in 1940, and is the fourth ateneo opened in the Philippines by the Jesuits. Typical of universities in the Philippines, AdNU has primary, secondary and tertiary levels which are coeducational. However, it was only in school year 2014-15 that the Ateneo de Naga opened its grade school.

Early History

The Ateneo de Naga University began in 1940 when the American Jesuits took over the Camarines Sur Catholic Academy, a small private school ran by the Diocese of Nueva Caceres, at the invitation of the bishop of the diocese. The Jesuits changed the name of the school to Ateneo de Naga. During its first year, Ateneo de Naga included the intermediate grades (grades 4-6) of elementary school. In 1941, however, the elementary school students were transferred to the nearby school ran by the Daughters of Charity, a religious order for women, and the Ateneo was solely an all-male high school up to school year 1946-47. The college department opened with 87 male students in June 5, 1947. Six years later, in October 26, 1953, the college became coeducational with the admission of five female students.

Recent History

The Graduate School which had a brief existence in the seventies, was revived in 1993. In 1997, the Ateneo expanded into four colleges, namely: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Commerce, the College of Education and the College of Information Technology and Engineering. In 2001, the College of Computer Studies was established.

University status

The Ateneo de Naga was granted university status by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on November 11, 1998. The inauguration as a university was held February 20, 1999, Raul Bonoan, S.J. was the first university president.

Expansion

From 1947 to 2003, the college and high school were located in the same campus. The Bagumbayan campus became crowded when AdNU became a university. Student population grew as the university added more undergraduate programs and built more buildings. In the early 2000s land in Barangay Pacol, Naga City was donated to AdNU. This property became the new home of the high school in the summer of 2003. Also in 2003 the high school becamecoeducational and the first female students were enrolled.^[2]

Up to the year 2013, Ateneo de Naga was the only ateneo without a grade school. In June 4, 2014, AdNU opened its grade school at the Bonoan campus in Pacol, Naga City. Initially for school year 2014-15, Ateneo de Naga accepted grade one to three students. Classes are being held in provisional classrooms until the completion of the new grade school building. Construction of the new kindergarten facility (the Ateneo Child Learning Center) also on the Pacol campus has been completed in 2014 and is being used starting school year 2014-15.