ISDB Welcomes Accreditation Team for Social Philosophy Program Evaluation
Site Visit Marks Key Step Toward Programmatic Accreditation for ISDB’s Social Philosophy Program
Comoro, August 22, 2025 – August 23, 2025
The first day began with a welcoming ceremony held at Largo ISDB at 8:30 AM. ISDB’s academic community, including the Grand Chancellor, Fr. Anacleto Pires, and the Rector, Fr. Manuel Pinto, warmly greeted the ANAAA team and panelists. The ceremony featured a welcome song performed by students in the Tetum language, followed by a procession to the Grand Hall where all sessions took place.
Welcoming Ceremony
After several postponements, the Instituto Superior Dom Bosco (ISDB), formerly known as IFFS, officially commenced the site visit for the programmatic accreditation of its Social Philosophy Study Program. This important two-day visit, held from August 22 to 23, marks a significant milestone in ISDB's academic development. The evaluation team is composed of a distinguished panel of experts: international accreditor Prof. Dr. Yusak B. Setyawan, PhD (Indonesia), and two national accreditors, Dr. Jose Maia, PhD (ISFIT), and Mr. Angelino Santos, MBA (ISJB). The national accreditation body, ANAAA, adopts a peer-review model, which involves evaluators from institutions offering similar programs. In line with this approach, the national reviewers were selected from two philosophy programs in the country. ISDB also plays an active role in the accreditation process beyond hosting. Two of its faculty members, Dr. Placido T. Freitas, PhD, and Fr. Acacio Domingos, MEd, will serve as panelists for upcoming accreditation visits at UNTL (August 27–28) and ISFIT (August 25–26), respectively.
Meetings and Presentations
The day’s first session involved the institute's leadership. The meeting opened with a prayer led by Fr. Casimiro, MTh, and was followed by remarks from ANAAA’s Executive Director, Dr. Nilton Paiva, PhD, who introduced the accreditation panelists. Fr. Joao Boavida, MTh, ISDB's Secretary General, then presented an overview of ISDB and its Social Philosophy Study Program. His report highlighted key institutional developments:
- Ongoing curriculum revision in collaboration with the Philippine Normal University (PNU),
- Strategic planning adjustments accompanying the institution's transition from IFFS to ISDB,
- The establishment of the new Faculty of Science of Education, and
- The adoption of ISDB's institutional Statute or Charter.
Fr. Joao reaffirmed ISDB’s commitment to transparency and cooperation in pursuit of high academic standards. The session concluded with a Q&A led by the panelists. Subsequent meetings throughout the day included dialogues with the Dean and Heads of Departments, faculty members, students, alumni, and stakeholders. The visit concluded with a tour of ISDB’s academic facilities, including administrative offices, the library, and the computer and language laboratories.
The second day of the site visit
saw ANAAA panelists dedicating their time to a thorough verification of the
supporting documents prepared by ISDB. This marked the final stage of the
two-day evaluation process.
The visit concluded with a detailed
set of recommendations presented by the team leader, Prof. Dr. Yusak,
highlighting areas for improvement and strategic development.
ISDB expressed its appreciation for
the insights provided and affirmed its commitment to implementing the
recommendations through actionable policies. The institution also extended its
thanks to the ANAAA panel for their time, expertise, and collaborative approach
throughout the visit.