The Divine Word University or DWU was a private, Catholic, co-educational institution of higher learning run by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) in Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines. Founded in 1927, it was closed in June 1995 by the school administrators after a court ruling favoring the labor union which represents its faculty members and other employees. DWU was the biggest Catholic institution of higher learning in Leyte and Samar (Region VIII). At its peak, it had around 14,000 students, and a faculty complement of about 400 teachers. It offered courses in around 20 different fields including law and medicine, and pioneered in indigenous research in the region. Its students considered it a cost-effective alternative to more expensive private schools in Cebu and Manila for the students of Leyte and Samar. During the years it remained open DWU produced around 60,000 graduates, and was a major player in the educational, religious and economic picture of Region VIII. Its closure caused severe dislocation in these areas. The Divine Word Missionaries or the Society of the Divine Word (known by their Latin initials as "SVD") had been active in the University since Frs.