Notre Dame University

What Notre Dame University does

Notre Dame University (NDU) is a private Catholic research and higher education institution located in Cotabato City, Philippines, owned and operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI). Established in 1948 as Notre Dame College and elevated to university status on March 11, 1969, it is the oldest higher education institution in Cotabato City. The university delivers a vertically integrated educational portfolio spanning Basic Education (Elementary Training Department, Junior High School, Senior High School), seven tertiary colleges (Arts and Sciences, Business and Accountancy, Education, Engineering and Computer Studies, Health Sciences, and Law), and a Graduate School offering master's and doctoral programs. NDU's technology stack centers on its proprietary Integrated School Management Information System (ISMIS) for student enrollment and academic management, an Online Learning Management System for distance learning, and externally partnered AI initiatives through Miami Law & AI Lab (MiLA) for legal education.

NDU's business model is tuition-driven and direct-to-consumer. Pricing is structured per academic unit: P1,404.98 per unit for master's programs and P1,675.41 per unit for doctoral programs, with ancillary application (PHP 500) and laboratory fees. Revenue is reduced through valedictorian/salutatorian scholarships, honor student discounts, and the Working Student Scholarship (WOLAR) program. Students enroll directly on campus via ISMIS, supported by feeder school visits, College Admission Tests, and a single physical campus distribution channel supplemented by Saturday Library Extension Services.

The university's primary customer segments are tertiary/college students from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and Central Mindanao, with approximately 48% of elementary students being Muslim in a deliberately interfaith environment. It is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by the Provincial Superior of the OMI Philippine Province. NDU holds CHED Deregulated Status (2001, re-awarded 2009), ISO 9001:2015 / ISO 21001:2018 certification (2019), and PAASCU Level 3 reaccreditations across multiple programs. Strategic positioning emphasizes peacebuilding, interreligious dialogue, and "social transformation in Mindanao" as the institution's mission.

Name

Notre Dame University

Legal name

Notre Dame University

Website

https://ndu.edu.ph

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Notre Dame University is a private Catholic university in Cotabato City, Philippines, operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, offering Basic Education, seven tertiary colleges, and Graduate School programs to students primarily from the Bangsamoro and Central Mindanao regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Affiliated Private Research Universities (EDAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Catholic university
• Basic education
• Graduate programs
• Legal education

Headquarters

HQ city

Cotabato

HQ country

Philippines

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Primary revenue stream from tuition fees charged per unit for graduate programs (P1,404.98 per unit for master's, P1,675.41 per unit for doctoral). Additional fees include application fees (Php 500), laboratory fees, and other academic-related charges.
2. Scholar Discounts and Waivers: Revenue reduced through valedictorian/salutatorian scholarships (free tuition for valedictorians, 50% for salutatorians) and honor student discounts. Working Student Scholarship (WOLAR) program also reduces revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Notre Dame University is a private Catholic research higher education institution offering a full academic portfolio from Basic Education (Elementary, Junior High, Senior High) through Tertiary programs across seven colleges (Arts and Sciences, Business and Accountancy, Education, Engineering and Computer Studies, Health Sciences, and Law) to the Graduate School with master's and doctoral degrees. It delivers instruction, research, and community extension services grounded in the Oblate charism and admits students through on-campus enrollment procedures including College Admission Tests.

Product overview

Notre Dame University (NDU) is a comprehensive Catholic educational institution operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, offering a unified portfolio of educational services across multiple levels: Basic Education (Elementary Training Department, Junior High School, Senior High School), Tertiary Education (Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business and Accountancy, Education, Engineering and Computer Studies, Health Sciences, Law), and Graduate School. The institution follows a platform-like structure with each college functioning as an autonomous unit while sharing institutional resources and support services. Key products include the Basic Education program, seven tertiary colleges with specialized degree programs, Graduate School with doctoral and master's degrees, and the Notre Dame Letters and Law Journal as a scholarly publication. The university integrates instructional technology through its ISMIS system and emphasizes research and community extension as core service components.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Basic Education
• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of Business and Accountancy
• College of Education
• College of Engineering and Computer Studies
• College of Health Sciences
• College of Law
• Graduate School

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced national licensure examination topnotchers in various fields over the past decade
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ministry of Science and Technology - BARMMcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 August 2026Ceremonial MOA signing for NDU's Ministry of Science and Technology Research & Development-Funded Project titled 'A Fuzzy Logic-Based Prototype Application for Flood Monitoring in Cotabato City.' Project led by Dr. Raymond G. Mamaril with team members Dr. Johaira Lidasan, Engr. Audrey B. Aba and Engr. Jomel Avenido. Initiative seeks innovative solutions for flood monitoring, disaster preparedness, and community resilience.
• Miami Law and AI Lab (MiLA) - University of Miami School of LawcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 November 2024Notre Dame University has established an academic partnership with Miami Law & AI Lab (MiLA) to integrate artificial intelligence into legal education and practice. MiLA aims to enhance AI literacy among students and professionals through training courses, research awards, and community events focused on ethical AI implementation. NDU collaborates on automated citation tools and privacy-focused software development.
• Ateneo de Manila UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration research programs conducted under Oblates Research Institute (ORI) with Ateneo de Manila University and other universities abroad for peace, culture and development studies research in the Bangsamoro region.
• Oblate Educational Institutions NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNotre Dame University is part of the Notre Dame Educational Association (NDEA), coordinating with other Oblate schools including Notre Dame of Jolo College, Notre Dame of Midsayap College, and others for educational activities and quality assurance.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ateneo de Zamboanga University: Private Jesuit (Catholic) university in Zamboanga City serving the western Mindanao/BARMM periphery with K-12, tertiary, and graduate programs. Closely comparable to NDU as a fellow Jesuit-equivalent (Catholic) regional university operating in Muslim-majority Mindanao communities.
• Ateneo de Davao University: Private Jesuit university in Davao City, Mindanao, offering comprehensive basic education, undergraduate, graduate, and law programs. Comparable as a Catholic regional private university in Mindanao competing for similar student segments.
• Saint Louis University (Baguio): Private Catholic university in Baguio City operated by CICM missionaries, with comprehensive basic education, undergraduate, graduate, and medical programs. Comparable as a mission-founded private Catholic university in the Philippines with similar K-12 to graduate scope.
• Notre Dame of Jolo College: Sibling Oblate-run Catholic higher education institution in Jolo, Sulu, part of the NDEA network that NDU coordinates with. Closest peer structurally — same religious congregation, same ISMIS platform, and overlapping BARMM/Bangsamoro student market.
• University of San Carlos: Private Catholic university in Cebu City, Philippines, founded by the SVD missionaries. Explicitly mentioned in NDU's data as the ISMIS technology-sharing partner; comparable as a private Catholic comprehensive university with K-12 through graduate offerings.
• Notre Dame of Midsayap College: Another NDEA member Oblate-run Catholic institution in Midsayap, Cotabato, serving Mindanao. Directly comparable as an Oblate sister school in the same province with similar offerings and student demographics.
• Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan: Private Jesuit (Catholic) university in Cagayan de Oro, Mindanao, also founded by a religious order and serving as a major higher education institution in Northern Mindanao. Comparable as a faith-affiliated private university in the same Philippine island group with similar comprehensive K-12 to graduate offerings.

Broad incumbents

• University of Santo Tomas (UST): The oldest existing university in Asia, a private Catholic institution in Manila with comprehensive K-12 to graduate and professional programs. Comparable on Catholic higher education identity and comprehensive academic offerings, but with substantially larger scale and national brand.
• Ateneo de Manila University: Larger, more established Jesuit research university in Metro Manila with broader national reach and stronger brand. NDU collaborates with Ateneo on Bangsamoro research through the Oblates Research Institute; comparable on Catholic identity and academic mission but operates at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Mindanao State University (MSU) System: Public state university system with main campus in Marawi City serving the Bangsamoro region. Competes with NDU for the same BARMM student pool but at subsidized public pricing; relevant as the primary non-Catholic higher education alternative in NDU's core market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgRIGIWPXkX7dY5x5qC8v9w
• Facebookfacebook.com/nducotabatocity
• Instagraminstagram.com/nducotabatocity
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/notre-dame-university

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles19 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Notre Dame University