UP Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business (formerly UP College of Business Administration)

What UP Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business (formerly UP College of Business Administration) does

The Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business (VSB) is the constituent business school of the University of the Philippines Diliman, established in 1916 as the College of Business Administration and renamed to honor former Philippine Prime Minister Cesar E.A. Virata. It is a public academic institution under the UP System — a state university established under Act No. 1870 of the Philippine Legislature — and is positioned by the university as the leading management education institution in the Philippines. The school is governed by the UP Board of Regents and led since 26 November 2025 by its 16th Dean, Prof. Erik Paolo S. Capistrano, PhD.

VSB delivers five core academic programs: a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA), a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Accountancy (BSBAA) that prepares students for the CPA licensure examination, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and a Master of Science in Finance (MSFin) for working professionals, and a PhD in Business Administration with a dedicated international applicant pathway that accepts GRE/TOEFL scores. It also operates the Development Center for Finance (DCF), a joint undertaking established in December 1992 with FINEX Research & Development Foundation, Inc., which provides executive education and professional seminars in financial management and publishes the Philippine Management Review. The school does not operate a proprietary technology platform; instruction and administration rely on standard university systems (UVLE, CRS, web-based LMS) and the admissions process uses the DPAT (Ph2,500 fee, administered by the UP Business Research Foundation).

Revenue is generated primarily through Philippine government appropriations, regulated tuition fees (e.g., Ph150 application fee, Ph2,500 DPAT fee), executive education programs through the DCF, and ancillary fees; international PhD applicants are quoted approximately US$17,000 per year inclusive of tuition, board and lodging, books, health insurance, foreign student fees, and air travel. The school serves prospective undergraduate students, working professionals pursuing graduate degrees, doctoral research scholars, and corporate clients seeking executive education. As a state university unit, VSB does not disclose commercial revenue or profit figures; total headcount is not explicitly stated across the source materials, though faculty are organized into the Department of Business Administration and the Department of Accounting & Finance, supported by administrative, library, and research/IT staff.

Name

UP Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business (formerly UP College of Business Administration)

Legal name

Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business, University of the Philippines Diliman

Website

https://vsb.upd.edu.ph

Company type

Public

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The UP Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business is the Philippines' leading public business school, founded in 1916 under the UP System. It offers BS, MBA, MS Finance, and PhD programs to students and operates the DCF joint venture with FINEX for executive finance education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAHAHAB

MBA & Executive MBA Programs

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Business Schools & Management Institutes

SECONDARYEDAHAHAA

Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs)

Education/Higher Education (Colleges & Universities)/Business Schools & Management Institutes

Keywords

• Higher education
• Business administration
• Management programs
• Graduate business school
• Accountancy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Quezon City

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Revenue is generated through tuition fees from undergraduate, MBA, MS Finance, and PhD programs. As a public university in the Philippines, fees are regulated by the University of the Philippines system. Additional fees include application fees (Ph150 for MBA/MS Finance/PhD), examination fees (DPAT costs Ph2,500), and other academic service fees.
2. Executive Education and Seminars: The school generates revenue through professional seminars and executive education programs offered to business professionals and corporate clients. The Development Center for Finance (DCF) conducts professional development programs in financial management.
3. Research Publications and Case Studies: Revenue and resources are generated through the publication of academic journals (Philippine Management Review), textbooks, case studies, and research materials sold through the Development Center for Finance and UP Business Research Foundation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

UP Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business (VSB) is the leading management education institution in the Philippines, offering undergraduate (BS Business Administration and BS Business Administration & Accountancy), graduate (MBA and MS Finance), and doctoral (PhD in Business Administration) academic programs. The school also operates the Development Center for Finance (DCF) as a joint undertaking with FINEX Research & Development Foundation, and publishes the Philippine Management Review journal.

Product overview

UP Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business is an academic institution offering a portfolio of educational programs: undergraduate degrees (BS Business Administration and BS Business Administration & Accountancy), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Master of Science in Finance (MSFin), and PhD in Business Administration. The school also operates the Development Center for Finance (DCF), a joint initiative with FINEX Research & Development Foundation established in 1992. These programs range from foundational undergraduate education to advanced doctoral research, with MBA and MSFin programs serving working professionals seeking career advancement in management and finance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs (BSBA and BSBAA) Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) and Bachelor of Science in Business Administration & Accountancy (BSBAA) degree programs providing foundational education in management, accounting, auditing, and business principles; the BSBAA program specifically prepares students for the CPA Licensure Examination.
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) Graduate-level business management program offering a broad-based curriculum balancing technical training and practical problem-solving, designed for high-potential professionals in industrial, financial, government, or non-profit institutions seeking managerial and leadership development.
• Master of Science in Finance (MS Finance) Graduate finance program focusing on emerging topics within the competitive financial industry, training managers to advance technical knowledge and team management capabilities through rigorous courses and skills development.
• PhD in Business Administration Doctoral program in business administration requiring online application, entrance examination (DPAT for domestic applicants, GRE accepted in lieu of DPAT for international applicants), and submission of credentials; targets academic and research careers in business administration.
• Development Center for Finance (DCF) Joint undertaking between FINEX Research & Development Foundation, Inc. and UP Virata School of Business promoting and enhancing Philippine financial markets, developing financial management expertise, and providing professional development and continuing education programs in financial management.
• Executive Education and Professional Seminars Professional seminars, executive education programs, and continuing education offerings delivered to business professionals and corporate clients, often through the Development Center for Finance, addressing workforce development needs in management and finance.
• Philippine Management Review (PMR) Journal Official academic journal of UP Virata School of Business, managed by VSB faculty and published in partnership with the academic community; publishes peer-reviewed articles on management and business research in the Philippine context.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.15% CPA Licensure Examination passing rate (May 2026)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FINEX Research & Development Foundation, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 1992Joint undertaking established in December 1992 between FINEX Research & Development Foundation, Inc. and UP Virata School of Business to promote and enhance the financial markets of the Philippines, develop financial management expertise, and provide professional development in the field of financial management. The partnership operates the Development Center for Finance (DCF) and supports the Philippine Management Review journal publication.
• Philippine Management Review (PMR)coreOthersThe Philippine Management Review is the official journal publication managed by VSB faculty, published in partnership with the academic community. All articles can be accessed at pmr.upd.edu.ph.
• Business Research Foundation (UP BRF)minorOthersUP Business Research Foundation administers the Doctoral Program Admission Test (DPAT) for VSB PhD applicants. DPAT examination fees are paid to UP BRF's bank account at Philippine National Bank.
• VSB Student Organizations and AffiliatesminorOthersVarious student organizations are affiliated with VSB including JPIA (Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants), JMA (Junior Marketing Association), ABAMIBA, S.E.MEN, CEGuilder, ADCORE, Pan Xenia, AEC, RVCP, IMA, AIESEC. These organizations support co-curricular activities and professional development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• HKUST Business School: Hong Kong's flagship business school with strong finance and MBA programs. A regional peer for benchmarking VSB's MS Finance and MBA offerings, and a competitor for high-caliber Filipino students considering overseas graduate business education.
• NUS Business School (National University of Singapore): A leading ASEAN business school offering MBA, MSc, and PhD programs. While geographically separate, it represents the regional standard for management education that VSB's programs are benchmarked against and competes with for top Filipino students seeking international credentials.

Direct peers

• Polytechnic University of the Philippines: A large state university offering business and accountancy programs at scale. Comparable to VSB as another public Philippine institution producing CPA passers and management graduates, though with broader access mission and different competitive positioning.
• University of the East - College of Business Administration: A Manila-based private university with undergraduate and graduate business programs that overlap with VSB's portfolio. Targets similar student segments, particularly aspiring CPA candidates and managers seeking graduate business credentials.
• Asian Institute of Management: The Philippines' leading private graduate business school offering MBA, Executive MBA, and Master in Management programs. Directly competes with VSB for top Filipino working professionals and shares a similar mission of producing national business leaders, though AIM operates with private-sector pricing flexibility.
• Far Eastern University - Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance: A private Manila university with a long-standing business and accountancy program that competes for students considering VSB's undergraduate programs. Offers a comparable CPA preparation track and is a frequent rival in licensure exam rankings.
• De La Salle University - Ramon V. del Rosario College of Business: A private Catholic university business school offering undergraduate business and accountancy programs alongside graduate management degrees. Competes with VSB for CPA licensure top-performer rankings and finance competition championships.
• Ateneo Graduate School of Business: The MBA and executive education arm of Ateneo de Manila University, offering Standard, Fast Track, and modular MBA programs. Competes head-to-head with VSB's MBA and MS Finance programs for high-potential professionals across the Philippines.
• University of Santo Tomas - Alfredo M. Velayo College of Accountancy: One of the Philippines' largest private universities with a business and accountancy program that consistently ranks as a CPA top-performing school. Competes directly with VSB's BSBAA program for accounting licensure placements.

Emerging players

• Mapua University - School of Management and Economics: An engineering-focused Philippine university expanding its management and economics offerings. Represents an emerging competitor in business education as Mapua broadens beyond its technical core into management programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dcf_online
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@vsb-upd
• Facebookfacebook.com/UPDVSB
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vsb-upd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about UP Cesar E.A. Virata School of Business (formerly UP College of Business Administration)