HISTORY

The existence of the University Research Center (URC) is a reaffirmation of an independent and valuable component within the structure of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila as it strengthens and recognizes the three major functions of a university, namely: instruction, research, and community extension services. As such, it is believed that the involvement, collaborative efforts, and constituent support of the faculty, administrative staff and personnel of this university in scientific investigation and problem-solving through research will assist administration not only in demands for decision-making regarding forced attention to priorities, but also in policy formulation and/or revision if necessary. Thus, the foundations upon which the university system will be improved can be strengthened at every level for each of its constituents.

At the regular meeting of the Board of Regents held on April 4, 1973, Resolution No. 472 was approved stating that the Pamantasan Development and Research Center be established under the Office of the President of the university. This was for the purpose of offering research and management services to the government and private sector. This was composed of the faculty, officials and students of the university who are autorized to receive honorarium and allowances for services rendered in the center. The budget of the center was incorporated in the university budget for 1973-1974 in addition to fundings that may be secured from the NSDB and other sources.

Resolution No. 599-A of the Board of Regents approved the proposed organization and administration of the research programs of the university. Adjustments and modifications were then made in the structure since it was noted that the budget for the Research Office provides only for the clerical staff which would not suffice to undertake a research program for the university.

As such, the Board, in a resolution, set the salary of the Research Director to be at least 15 percent higher than the maximum step for professor at any given time. This is in consideration of the work which the Research Office will undertake, the caliber of the person to head the office as well as the difficulty of getting the person because the work involved is highly specialized.

With the effectivity of R.A. 6758 otherwise known popularly as the Salary Standardization Law, in July 1989, new position nomenclatures were utilized. The new Researcher V (equivalent to the former Director), University Researcher III (equivalent to the former Associate Director), University Research Associate II and I (equivalent to the former Senior Research Associate), Educational Research Assistant II (equivalent to the former Faculty Research Associate), and Educational Research Assistant I (equivalent to the former Research Aide).

The URC undertakes researches, institutional studies and projects, educational or otherwise within the parameters of its capacities, duties, responsibilities, and functions. It also provides technical support, control, direction, and supervision to the research program of the entire university. The major thrust if these researches, studies and projects are academic, administrative, and community extension. Academic in the sense that URC serves as a support group in the completion and production of instructional materials, manuals, books, and other related communication collaterals for the consumption of the academic community and its stakeholders.

Its administrative funtion is manifested in the provision of necessary data for planning, decision making, and policy formulation.

The URC also serves as the clearing house for all internal and external researches and studies conducted by students, faculty, and administrative personnel by extending technical support in terms of consultancy services. Moreover, the URC participates actively in the performance of researches and studies requested by the City Mayor's Office, Board of Regents, President, and the Vice-Presidents.

Part of URC's history is its transition to develop a new image, hence, borne the University Center for Research, Conferences and Seminars (UCRCS). The UCRCS during these times employed the synergistic approach in developing, acquiring, and evaluating knowledge in the realm of research and technology. Through synergism, the information flow of knowledge will be brought in and brought out in a smooth and stable sumbiosis where the UCRCS serves as its pricess "center". Such interdependence is what biodiversity in life is all about. Every element in life links with one another for survival.

In 2005, Board Resolution No. 2280 was enacted to revert the name UCRCS back to its original appellation, University Research Center.

Vision

A center of quality and innovative research of the students, faculty and administrators of a caring and leading-edge University that is committed to develop and produce globally competitive professionals, dynamic and principled leaders, effective managers, and socially responsible citizens.

Mission

Establish dynamic and evolving Research Center in the Colleges that will support the fundamental values of excellence and service and the pursuit of great achievement in student-centered teaching, research, extension, faculty development, and institutional linkages for the continuous transformation of the City of Manila and the nation. Objectives In the effort to attain the purposes for which the Pamantasan was created and to actualize one of the major function of the university, the University Research Center set the following objectives:
1. To seek and discover through research, specific, relevant and updated information that serve as inputs for academic and administrative planning, policy formation and decision making.
2. Develop, maintain enrich and provide a general data bank readily available to all university units and to outside clientele.

In the attainment of these objectives, the University Reseach Center performs multiple roles whice are geared towards the subsequent achievement of university goals and objectives. URC is expected to undertake the following:
1. Undertakes researchable institutional problems, both academic and administrative which are envisioned by the offices of PLM.
2. Applies community projects and technological researches as a collaborative effort with the University Extension Program.
3. When requested by the deans, faculty and university administration conducts researches for the development of instructional materials, testing, research, publications, innovations, technology, faculty evaluation, etc.
4. When the need arises, supply research-based data and information for planning, decision making, and policy formulation on the department as well as university level.
5. Monitors of project and researches in relation to university committments, assignments and linkages.

AREAS OF RESEARCH AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT

1. Priority areas of studies shall be, but not limited to the following:
a. Educational Development will look into the ways of improving the educational curriculum and strategies provided by the university.
b. Institutional Studies will study and evaluate the structure, growth, goals and activities, programs, contributions, prospects, etc. of the university or any of its colleges and units.
c. Technology will look into the technological capabilities of the university in terms of adaptation, innovation, or invention as may be undertaken by PLM faculty members or colleges to contribute to the extension of progress of technology.
d. Non-Institutional Studies will go into research studies or any subject that will contribute to the increment of existing discipline of the addition of new discoveries along developmental areas, practical sciences or speculative knowledge.

2. Development of institutional materials shall be limited to regular courses of a curriculum.

REGULAR PROGRAMS

Facilitation of Requests to Conduct Research in the University
The University Research Center facilitates requests for conducting research studies in the University.
Researchers who wish to conduct their study in the University must submit the following:
• Letter of intent addressed to the PLM President thru the URC Director;
• Concept Paper or Chapters 1 to 3 of the study;
• Research Instruments (Questionnaire/s and/or Interview Guide, Class/Respondents Schedule) and;
• Filled-up Research Information Sheet which contains researcher's profile and nature or description of research and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). (Forms will be provided by the URC).
Upon fulfillment of the above requirements, the research will pass through a series of screenings against the university policies and standards on research. Final approval will come from the University President.

Research Capability Building Seminars/Trainings
The center regularly conducts seminars/trainings that aim to advance research capability of students, faculty and staff. For the past years, the center has been conducting research seminars/trainings during summer and also during the celebration of the University Research Month. The goal of the activities is to strengthen and improve research skills as well as provide updates on the global research trends e.g. writing formats, software innovations and solutions.

The Center also gives research capability support and assistance to all colleges within the University whenever request or need arises.

Evaluation of Researches Submitted for Promotion, Hiring and Permanency
Another function URC does for the University particularly to the academic community is the evaluation of researches. Papers submitted for purposes of hiring, promotion and permanency of faculty members are evaluated by URC with the help of the University Research Evaluation Committee (UREC). The UREC consists of technical experts from different disciplines and the URC Director acting as the committee chairman.

Students' Faculty Evaluation
URC administers the students' faculty evaluation (SFE) every semester to the students from the various undergraduate colleges, professional and graduate schools in the University every semester. Manual and computerized SFE schedules are given to the colleges at least two weeks before the SFE period. The computerized SFE are administered at the URC laboratory while the manual SFE are administered by the staff in the designated classrooms.

Institutional Researches
URC undertakes researches, institutional studies and projects, educational or otherwise within the parameters of its capacities, duties, responsibilities and functions; institutional research on priority areas/issues in order to assist the administrators in policy-formulation and decision-making. The center also processes results of student faculty evaluation in order to assist the deans in decisions pertaining to faculty loading, renewal, permanency and promotion.

Consultancy Service to Student and Faculty Researchers
Senior staff provide technical expertise and advice to student and faculty researchers in the University. When requested, the center also helps in the statistical analysis of data generated in the university. University researchers also provide assistance to colleges, administrative units and organizations in the university in the development of systems that will simplify certain tasks or process

Networks/Linkages
The center establishes and maintains liaison with government and private funding agencies and foundations for the support of researches/projects. Some of the research networks that the center maintains are the Intramuros Research Consortium, Metro Manila Health Research Development consortium (MMHRDC) and the Manila Policy Forum.

Research Dissemination
The research dissemination program of the center consists of two subprograms : publication and presentation.
The URC is responsible for the publication of the best researches generated by students, faculty and staff. The center currently publishes three research journals. The PLM Review, which is the official publication of the graduate and professional schools in the university; Pantas, which features the best researches of students and faculty in the twelve undergraduate colleges; and the PLM Reseach Bulletin, which is a compendium of abstracts of selected researches of students and faculty from the twenty academic units in the university. The center also organizes Research Colloquia and Research Exhibits for the oral and poster presentations of the best researches in the University.

University Research Month
The center spearheads the annual celebration of the University Research Month during September. The center, together with the Research Month Committee, organizes various activities aimed at promoting, enhancing, instilling, and drawing university awareness and appreciation of the importance and necessity of research in the University.