Beginnings

Cebu Institure of Technology (CIT) is the first higher educational institution (HEI) in the Visayas and Mindanao classified as Category A (t). This places CIT as a mature teaching institution under the CHED-IQUAME framework. IQUAME is Institutional Quality Assurance Through Monitoring and Evaluation, a system of higher education quality assurance and classification.

Half a century earlier, CIT had established the reputation of being one of the significant schools in the Visayas and Mindanao regions. It is a private, non-sectarian academic institution with tertiary, secondary, and elementary divisions located on a five-hectare campus along Natalio Bacalso Avenue, Cebu City. Serving the community for more than six decades and having been awarded as outstanding institution during the Cebu City Charter Day Celebration on February 24, 2008, the institution's tradition of quality performance is recognized.

CIT is one of only nine schools nationwide awarded by the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) as Center of Excellence in Information Technology Education.

In 1946, Dr. Nicolas G. Escario, Sr. (first president), Don Rodolfo T. Lizares, Sr. (vice president) and Don Simplicio A. Lizares Sr. (first chairman of the board of trustees) in collaboration with three US-educated Cebuano engineers, Engr. Fidel C. Dagani, Engr. Amancio A. Alcordo, and Engr. Jose A. Cavan, founded CIT.

With 512 high school and college students, the school initially offered vocational programs as well as degrees in architecture and engineering. These were followed by Liberal Arts (1947); Pharmacy and Junior Normal Programs (1948); Education (1949); Commerce (1951); Sanitary Engineering (1953); Pre-Medicine (1957); Secretarial (1958) which was revitalized to the Office Administration program in 2001; Mining Engineering, Nursing and Doctor of Medicine (1960); and Industrial Engineering (1968). CIT started to produce topnotchers in the Engineering Licensure Examinations.

In 1958, by the time Don Rodolfo T. Lizares took over as president, CIT already had eight semi-concrete school buildings located at C. Padilla Street. In 1965, a new school site located at N. Bacalso Avenue was acquired. Towards the end of 1978, Lizares engaged a multimillion development plan with the Educational Project Implementing Task Force (EDPITAF) to make CIT a resource-based institution for engineering programs in the Visayas and Mindanao. The demands of electronics and computer industries in the 80’s also challenged CIT to offer Bachelor of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering and computer-related programs in 1983.

Under the presidency of Mr. Gregorio L. Escario CIT opened the pre-school program and re-opened the elementary department. Ever aspiring for its quest for academic excellence, CIT was awarded the Most Outstanding Institution in Science and Technology for Region VII in 1994. Consequently, it was granted a multi-million peso funding assistance for the creation of the Multimedia Development and Training Center (MDTC) and the Software Development and Training Center (SDTC) by DOST.

In 2000, CIT was awarded as CHEd Center of Development for Excellence in Information Technology Education in Region VII and in 2007, as Center of Excellence in Information Technology Education.

In further recognition of CIT’s exemplary performance, the institution was deputized as a provider-HEI for ETEEAP (Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation Program) for Computer Studies, Engineering, Education, and Commerce (including Public Administration). Due to global demands, the College of Nursing was reopened in 2004. In the same year, Master in Computer Science (MCS) program was offered which was followed a year later by the Master in Information Technology (MIT) program. CIT was then identified as delivering institution for the CHED Faculty Development Program (FDP) for MCS and MIT.

Today, CIT remains on top of its game. For three consecutive years (2004-2006), it was awarded by PACUCOA as one of the top 10 institutions (nationwide) with the most number of accredited programs with majors.

For more than 61 years, CIT has lived up to its commitment to provide exceptional training and academic excellence to its students. CIT has elementary and high school departments, and six colleges: Engineering and Architecture, Commerce, Computer Studies, Education, Arts and Sciences, and Nursing.

It has also constantly upgraded its facilities and equipment, now with six four-storey buildings housing state-of-the-art laboratories for Computer, Nursing, Hotel & Restaurant Management, Tourism Management, Mass Communication, and Engineering & Architecture, as well as the modern library.

The school has opened opportunities for students who are financially underprivileged yet with academic potentials through scholarship programs. In school year 2007-2008, CIT has a total of 1,699 scholars [1,523 college, 122 high school, and 54 elementary], 75% of which is CIT funded. The institute spent P 26.6M for these scholars. Of the 1,523 college student-scholars, 427 were externally sponsored, 373 non academic, 252 freshmen, 209 faculty-administration discount, 201 academic, and 60 athletic and special non-academic scholars.

Some of the CIT Scholarship Sponsors are CIT Alumni Associations, Lexmark Corp., Fairchild Semiconductors, NEC Foundation Inc., PJ Lhuillier Foundation, PAMWE, Jurani Foundation, SM Foundation, Davao Light and Power Co., PHINMA, Keppel Cebu Shipyard, Cebu Province and government agencies like DOST, CHED, OWWA, and GSIS.

To inspire students to continuously strive for excellence, the institution holds an annual "Parangal" to crown the top engineering graduate as CIT King/Queen of Engineers and to recognize academic performers. The Presidential Academic Award is also given to the top graduating student every school year.

True to its tagline CIT Tops Again, the institution has a total of 567 board topnotchers in the licensure exams for Engineering, Architecture, and Accountancy, with 72 first placers.

CIT offers Bachelor of Science (BS) programs in Nursing, Architecture, Engineering (Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Electronics, Industrial, Mechanical (with Mechatronics), Mining Engineering; master’s degree programs in Computer Science, and Information Technology; BS in Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, and Associate in Computer Technology; BS in Accountancy, Business Administration with majors in Banking and Financial Management, General Business Management, Human Resource Management, Management Accounting, Marketing Management, Quality Management, and five-year Industrial Quality Management;

Bachelor in Public Administration, BS in Office Administration; and Associate in Office Administration under the College of Commerce.

Effective first Semester SY 2008-2009, new programs such as BS in Hotel and Restaurant Management and BS in Tourism Management will also be offered.

Under the College of Arts and Sciences, AB major in Mass Communication, AB major in Graphics and Media (Fine Arts), BS in Psychology, and AB in English are offered. Bachelor of Elementary Education with majors in Early Childhood Education, General Education, Special Education, Bachelor of Secondary Education with majors in English, Filipino, Mathematics, and Science are offered in College of Education. The college also offers Diploma in Professional Education and Certificate in Special Education.