​The Institute

HistoryVisionMissionGoals and Objectives

History

The National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS) is a multidisciplinary forum for the study of processes that shape the Earth. It is the national center of excellence for the advancement, dissemination, and application of geology in the Philippines. NIGS was created through Executive Order No. 889 by the President of the Republic of the Philippines in March 1983. In order to implement the Executive Order, the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines (UP) System authorized the organization of NIGS from the Geology section of the former Department of Geology and Geography of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) in UP Diliman in May 1983. The CAS eventually was split into three distinct Colleges, and during the reorganization, NIGS became an academic unit of the College of Science (CS). Actual operation of NIGS started in January 1984. Since then, NIGS has consistently paved the way for the development and improvement of the field of geosciences, and continues to be the leading geological institution in the country. As a testament to its contribution to national development and excellent performance throughout the years, NIGS was appointed as the Center of Excellence (COE) in Geology by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) through Memorandum Order No. 38, Series of 2015 and Memorandum Order No. 3, Series of 2019.

Vision

  • A leading institution of nationally and globally relevant quality education, research, and extension service in the geosciences.

Mission

  • Provide quality geoscience education.
  • Produce globally competitive geoscientists.
  • Foster a conducive environment for international quality research.
  • Promote research collaborations in the geosciences and other disciplines.
  • Cultivate a culture of geoscience in the Filipino consciousness

Goals and Objectives

Goal 1: Effectively implement progressive UP NIGS degree programs.

Objectives:

  1. Starting 2022, at least 90% of the BS Geology students should have obtained their degree within the prescribed period.
  2. NIGS shall graduate 35 MS students every five years.
  3. By 2024, NIGS should maintain a graduation rate of 1 PhD per year.
  4. Produce graduates who will be gainfully employed within 1-3 months after passing the geology licensure exam.
  5. Internal and external review of the UP NIGS degree curricula every five years to ensure its effectiveness and relevance.
  6. Consider developing a PhD by Research degree.

Goal 2: Develop effective teaching and mentoring.

Objectives:

  1. Reduce the number of years for MS degree completion from 5 to 3 years through effective mentoring.
  2. Maintain a SET average per academic year of 1.8 for the Teacher part.
  3. Develop instructional materials for all NIGS courses incorporating Philippine examples.
  4. Establish a faculty mentoring system for early career teachers.

Goal 3: Produce globally competitive BS, MS, and PhD graduates that will be relevant to nation building.

Objectives:

  1. Maintain a passing rate of at least 95% for licensure exam for geology.
  2. Develop a credit transfer scheme for undergraduate and graduate geology courses.
  3. Invite at least 2 visiting professors to teach graduate and undergraduate courses every year.
  4. Maintain a pool (with at least five experts) of active adjunct and affiliate professors.
  5. Collaborate with industry practitioners in providing highly specialized trainings/courses.

Goal 4: To elevate NIGS into a leading institution for collaborative research in the geosciences.

Objectives:

  1. Establish 1 new local or foreign research collaboration per year.
  2. Implement plans for the maintenance and upkeep of equipment and research facilities to keep in step with global standards and practices.
  3. Increase the annual number of WoS/Scopus publications to 20 per year from 2020 to 2029, 30 per year from 2030 to 2039, and 40 per year from 2040 to 2049.
  4. Utilize existing equipment for innovative non-geological applications.

Goal 5: Advance public awareness of geosciences in addressing relevant national and global issues.

Objectives:

  1. By 2022, NIGS should have conducted information dissemination campaigns in 8 out of 16 regions in the Philippines.
  2. In the next 10 years, NIGS should have conducted earth science related trainings and workshops to primary and secondary schools, and HEIs.
  3. In the next 20 years, LGUs and NGOs trained by NIGS should be able to produce community-based data. (Empowerment of LGUs and NGOs).

Goal 6: Contribute to the development of programs and policies related to the geosciences.

Objectives:

  1. Actively participate in international and national policy-making bodies.
  2. Encourage advocacy for the sustainable utilization of the natural resources of the Philippines.

Goal 7: Develop a conducive environment to support the implementation of research, teaching, and public service mandates of NIGS.

Objectives:

  1. Develop a competent NIGS human resource pool.
  2. Upgrade teaching and research facilities.
  3. Acquire state-of-the-art research equipment.
  4. Secure funding for the effective implementation of NIGS programs and activities.