Northwest Samar State University is the main public university of Calbayog and the largest in western Samar. The campus sits just north of the cathedral and city centre, with several large open quads and academic buildings dating from the 1950s onward. The university traces its history back to a vocational school founded in 1908 — one of the older surviving educational institutions in the region.
For visitors, the campus is worth a wander if you are spending an afternoon in the centre. The main hall has occasional public exhibitions of student art and local history; the cultural events around fiesta season often involve the university's dance and music groups. A useful place to chat with English-speaking students if you are trying to get oriented or want recommendations on where to eat or what to see.