The Commission on Higher Education  (CHED)  was created on May 18, 1994 through the passage of Republic Act No. 7722, or the Higher Education Act of 1994. CHED, an attached agency to the Office of the President for administrative purposes, is headed by a chairman and four commissioners, each having a term of office of four years. The Commission En Banc  acts as a collegial body in formulating plans, policies and strategies relating to higher education and the operation of CHED.

The creation of CHED was part of a broad agenda of reforms on the country’s education system outlined by the Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM) in 1992. Part of the reforms was the trifocalization of the education sector into three governing bodies: the CHED for tertiary and graduate education, the Department of Education (DepEd) for basic education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for technical-vocational and middle-level education.