Ateneo de Zamboanga University

The Ateneo de Zamboanga University is a Catholic and Jesuit university in Western Mindanao. It is also known by the acronym AdZU. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1912, it is the second oldest Jesuit school in the Philippines. It initially catered to primary and secondary education for boys. It became a college in 1952, and a university in August 2001. The Ateneo de Zamboanga began in 1912 as Escuela Catolica, a parochial school run by Spanish Jesuits at the old site of the Immaculate Conception Church, right across the Sunken Garden. Fr. Manuel Sauras, S.J. was the first director.

It operates two campuses. The main campus in La Purisima Street houses the Colleges and the Grade School, while the new campus outside Zamboanga City proper is home to the High School unit. Future plans include the construction of several facilities in the new campus such as the Grade School classrooms, an auditorium, an amphitheater, a chapel (the current chapel is housed inside the High Building) and sports facilities.

Its official student publication is The Beacon Magazine. The Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng Ateneo de Zamboanga University (SMADZU) was its student government prior to 2009. In its place is the Consejo Atenista, a more representative and solid student government.