On January 11, 2000, the Commission on Higher Education issued Memorandum Order No. 06 Series of 2000 declaring CFNR as a Center of Excellence in Forestry Education for three years. It shall receive corresponding support from the Commission after submission of project proposals and shall be subject to periodic evaluation by the Office of Programs and Standards.
Teaching effectiveness of the faculty was rated excellently by the students through the evaluation of teachers by the students instituted by the University since 1978. Even during the late 80s, CFNR also got an excellent rating based on TPAE’s evaluation. Faculty student ratio is at 1:5.96. Of the 61 faculty members, 57.37% are registered professional foresters, 55.74% are Ph.D. degree holders, 29.51% with MS/MF degrees and only 14.75% are BS graduates but are pursing their masters degrees.
As a premiere forestry school, the undergraduate program in forestry offered by the college, even exceeded the minimum standard set by the TPAE. At the undergraduate level, the college offers the Certificate in Forestry, BS in forestry with the following six major specialization: forest biological sciences, forest environmental resources management, silviculture and agroforestry, forest products, social forestry, and forests and natural resources governance. At the graduate level, the college offers MS and Ph.D. programs in forestry and environment.
Aside from its basic laboratory facilities, the college has also put up specialized laboratories for the use of students in the conduct of their thesis and special problems. It has the Makiling Forest Reserve for its research and as a training laboratory. In addition, it has the Makiling Botanic Gardens that maintains living collections of indigenous plants of Mt. Makiling and endangered and rare species of the country. The CFNR library provides the students with an extensive and updated holdings and acquisitions of books and references.
For the last five years, the CFNR graduates have consistently topped the Forester’s Board Examination.
Almost all the faculty members of CFNR are with MS or Ph.D. degrees and they are involved in both research and extension activities. Among the research grants enjoyed by the college are from the UN/FAO, ITTO, JIRCAS, USAID and the European Union. Not only is it equipped for its research activities but it is also fully equipped to carry out aggressive and extensive extension programs.
CFNR has maintained strong and active linkages with both local and international forestry schools and institutions. It is an active member of the Asia-Pacific, ASEAN and world forestry institutions.
There is very low turn–over of faculty members and in its long productive years of existence since 1910, it has consistently produced quality graduates and most of them occupy sensitive and high ranking positions both in the government and private agencies in the Philippines and Asia-Pacific.