When he graduated at the De La Salle University, multi-awarded computer game designer Elson Niel Dagondon realized that there were actually no game development companies in the Philippines. Armed with his strong desire and passion for games, Dagondon established his own company, the Anino Games in 2001.
After establishing the first and largest game development company in the country, he had to face another hurdle. There was a big gap between the industry demand and the education program. In short, there were only a few skilled game developers in the country.
students. The room features a spacious and well-lit workspace with large windows providing
ample natural light
Understanding the severity of this unfortunate situation, the multi-awarded game designer and developer ventured out into the education sector and built an information and communication technology school, CIIT College of Arts and Technology (formerly Cosmopoint International Institute of Technology) in 2007.
Back then, there were only 21 students enrolled in diploma courses for graphic design, multimedia application, software engineering, and network design. Specialist courses for working professionals were added in 2011, followed by bachelor’s degrees in computer science and multimedia arts the following year.
With innovation at its core, CIIT introduces two next-level programs for future business innovators and technopreneurs, namely BS Entrepreneurship (BSE) and Senior High School Accounting, Business, and Management Strand (SHS ABM) this year.
“Innovation is part of our DNA as it is one of our core values. We seek to continuously improve systems, processes, and our way of doing things. Our courses are customized based on industry needs and standards. With the help of our more than 100 company partners, we upgrade or modify our curricula so that the applications or technologies that we use are up-to-date,” shared CIIT president Sherwin O.
The idea of introducing business programs stemmed from entrepreneurial opportunities that arose during the pandemic. New entrepreneurs sought unique ways to do business and maximized the existing modern technology to venture out and explore opportunities.
“CIIT has always been into arts and tech, but it is missing the business aspect that ties things together. It was time to go full circle and give students the chance to turn their business ideas into reality – just how Niel saw an opportunity amid the gap in the industry. The school now has an ecosystem of innovators and creators who can make their ideas a reality, much like how Silicon Valley has fostered great talents,” shared O.
Unlike most entrepreneurship and business management programs, CIIT goes beyond the usual expectation of discussing classroom concepts and creating traditional business models. It transforms experience by adding digital platforms and business-level tools to allow its students to turn their ideas into real tech startups.
Each subject in entrepreneurship and ABM programs is paired with industry-grade software used by local and international companies. Aside from teaching business theories and concepts like marketing, operations, human resource, finance, and accounting, among others, the school teaches them how to optimize business tasks through various applications used by organizations worldwide. This also enables them to execute their ideas immediately.
For instance, in marketing, the students are taught to create and launch Facebook advertising campaigns and analyze the reports. In operations, students learn to optimize clerical tasks using Airtable to focus more on growing the business.
“We focus more on the practical applications and see to it that we are agile enough to adjust the curriculum and tailor it to the needs of the industry. CIIT has already been using different technologies in its daily operations, which is what we wanted to share so that future entrepreneurs can also use them to revolutionize how their future organizations can be operated and managed,” said O.
When I visited the campus located along Kamuning in Quezon City, I was amazed at how technology-driven the school is. While most schools are burdened with heavy administrative and clerical work, which can be counterproductive in teaching their students, CIIT has utilized technology in its daily operations.
Take, for example, the enrollment processing. A typical enrollment of a school would require so much time and effort, with students falling in long lines and all teachers on deck to process the enrollment forms manually.
In CIIT, they have only one registrar to handle 1,600 enrollees using Edusuite, a software that enables business continuity requiring less manpower and manual processes, and automating the enrollment processes.
While none of their employees have been replaced, CIIT leverages automation in almost every clerical task in the school administration system. With fewer manual tasks, CIIT educators and management are able to focus on developing and delivering high-quality next-level educational experiences for students.
Another thing I noticed was the school culture. Students are free to voice their opinions and are heard by the school. They can also approach their teachers, even the president, with their concerns.
“As a college of both art and tech, and a diverse, next-level community, we encourage collaboration of all kinds. Our students not only learn the value of logic but also take pride in their creative spirit. We welcome creators from many different backgrounds because we recognize that each and every one of you is capable of weaving a future together,” concluded O.