St. Paul University Manila (also known as SPU Manila) is a Catholic, private, and co-ed educational institution in Manila, Philippines. The college was established in 1912 by the Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres (SPC), a Congregation founded in Chartres, France in 1698.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF ST. PAUL UNIVERSITY MANILA

The University started out originally in 1911 as a Novitiate, a training center for young Filipino women wishing to become Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres, on a swampy piece of land in Malate.  The next year, 1912, the school, first named St. Paul Institution, started with a kindergarten class upon the request of families in the neighborhood.  The elementary started in 1913, the high school in 1924, and the college department in 1936. In 1940, the school’s name was changed to St. Paul College of Manila.

In 1957, SPCM became a Charter member of the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU). It also became the first SPC school in the Philippines to be PAASCU-accredited. 

In 1970, the college started to concentrate on higher education by first moving out its Kindergarten Department and thus helped create St. Paul College Pasig. The Grade School and High School departments followed in 1972 and 1986 respectively.

In 1975, SPCM became one of the founding members of the Inter-Institutional Consortium. Now called the South Manila Inter-Institutional Consortium(SMIIC) and composed of De la Salle University Manila, St. Scholastica’s College Manila, Philippine Christian University, Philippine Normal University, Adamson University, College of St. Benilde, Philippine Women’s University, Technological University of the Philippines, Emilio Aguinaldo College, Lyceum of the Philippines University, University of the Philippines-Manila and St. Paul University Manila. The South Manila Inter-Institutional Consortium (SMIIC) is the oldest educational consortium in the Philippines and the oldest working consortium in Southeast Asia.

In 1992, the school was cited by the Department of Education, Culture, and Sports (DECS) as one of the 17 excellent colleges and universities in the Philippines. In 2001, in recognition of its untarnished reputation and meritorious achievements in higher education, it was conferred an Award of Distinction and given full autonomy status for five years by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED).

In 2003, the school started its graduate programs and on February 10, 2004, SPCM became part of the St. Paul University System, the first university system in the Philippines recognized by CHED. The school was then officially named St. Paul University Manila. In May, 2004, SPUM made a history by being the first SPC school in the Philippines to have a lay (lady) President.  This event is a milestone in the one-hundred-year history of the SPC Congregation in the country.  In 2005, the College of Nursing was chosen as one of the 12 Outstanding Performing Colleges of the Philippines.  In March 2007, a PAASCU resurvey visit was conducted and the following programs/clusters maintained their Level 3 accreditation status:  Arts and Sciences, AB Mass Communication, BS Psychology, BS Business Administration, BS Accountancy, and BS Nursing.  Additionally, the Computer Science program was granted PAASCU Level 1 accreditation.  On the other hand, the following programs/clusters were granted PAASCU Level 1 accreditation in October 2008:  BS Hotel and Restaurant Management, Bachelor of Secondary Education, and Bachelor of Elementary Education.  In August 2009, the Commission on Higher Education granted SPU Manila granted SPU Manila Autonomous Status for 3 years, from 26 August 2009 to 25 August 2012.  Further, the University was granted a 3-year certification for Donee Institution Status by the Philippine Council for NGO Certification (PCNC) in October, 2009.  Then, CHED extended the AUTONOMOUS status of the university until 2014 in August 2010

The University’s history, since its founding in 1912, has been characterized by a pioneering spirit, driven by the tranquil daring reflective of its founders, always committed to living out Christ’s love through its educational endeavors.   

The University is proud of its excellent programs and the many graduates who, over the years, have excelled in their fields of specialization or who have continued on to build Christian homes and nurture new generations in the spirit of love and compassion for others.  St. Paul University Manila will continue its long and illustrious tradition of educational excellence and service to the Church, family, and society as it responds to the growing challenges of a technological and globalized world.