Section 2Sec./Art. 2

Section 25 of Republic Act No. 10599 shall be amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 25. Compliance With CHED Requirements. -The provisions of this Act notwithstanding, the conversion of the institution into a state university shall become effective only upon the determination and declaration by the CHED, based on the recommendation of a panel of experts, that the institution has complied with the requirements for university status based on CHED Memorandum Order No. 46, series of 2012.

"The CHED, through its regional office, shall regularly provide technical assistance to the institution and monitor compliance with the requirements of the Commission.

"The CHED shall designate a panel of experts who shall prepare a recommendation to the Chairperson of the CHED, on whether the institution has substantially complied with the requirements for the grant of university status.

"The following operational requirements for a university, as established by the CHED, shall be complied with:

"(a) Facuity members who possess relevant degrees in their areas of specialization, as required by the CHED, and shall have participated in research and development activities in their respective disciplines, as evidenced by refereed publications and other scholarly outputs;

"(b) A comprehensive range of degree programs in all levels, from basic post-secondary to doctoral programs;

"(c) Viable research programs in specific (disciplinal and multidisciplinary) areas of study that produce new knowledge, as evidenced by refereed publications, citations, inventions, and patents, among others;

"(d) Comprehensive learning resources and support structures, to include libraries, practicum laboratories, relevant educational resources, and linkages with the relevant disciplinal and professional sectors, to allow students to explore basic, advance, and even cutting edge knowledge in a wide range of disciplines or professions;

"(e) Active and ongoing linkages and affiliation with other research institutions in various parts of the world that would ensure that the research activities of the University are functioning at current global standards; and

"(f) Outreach activities that allow the students, faculty, and research staff to apply the new knowledge they generate to address specific social development problems.

"The institution shall retain its status prior to the effectivity of this Act, until it is able to comply with the requirements provided herein."