The USM- Kidapawan City Campus (USM-KCC), formerly the North Cotabato College of Arts andTrades (NCCAT) is the now the 13th academic unit of the University of Southern Mindanao, Kabacan Cotabato with the status of an external campus. It is one of the 31 CHED Supervised Institutions in the country integrated to State Universities and Colleges pursuant to the applicable provisions of RA 7722, RA 8292, and RA 8745.  
 
This campus was officially integrated to USM on October 28, 1999 by virtue of BOR Res. No. 66, 1999, and turned over to the USM president on January 31, 2000 by Dr. Carmen Dormitorio, CHED 12 Regional Director.  
 
The external campus is sitting on a 14.9-hectare land, located at Sudapin, 2.7 kilometers away from the city proper. Upon absorption, it has 56 faculty, 23 staff with plantilla position, 5 casuals and 8 emergency employees on Job Contract status. Like other colleges in the main campus, the USM-KCC is headed by a Dean appointed by the University President and confirmed by the Board of Regents. Major decisions reside upon the University President and governed by the policies promulgated by the USM-BOR.

Formerly, under the supervision of Department of Education, Culture and Sports, it offered a ladderized technician non-degree post secondary program (Diploma of Technology) with majors in Automotive, Civil, Electrical, Electronics, Welding and Fabrication and Refrigeration and Air- conditioning technology. At the time of integration, this campus offered degree programs leading to Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, (BSI Eng) BS Industrial Arts (BSIA) BS Industrial Education (BSIED) and Bachelor of Technology (BT). It also maintains a laboratory high school offering Secondary Education with four secondary trade areas of specialization.

In 1993, The NCCAT along with twelve (12) other institutions was recipient of modern technical equipment as part of the Philippines – Australia Technical- Vocational Education Project (PATVEP). This is a bilateral project attracting financial contributions amounting to PhP 144.57 over five years from the Philippine Government and A$ 29.82 million over four and half years from Australian Government through AIDAB. Hence, then NCCAT was a recipient of PhP 40 million financial assistance for faculty development, buildings and highly- technical machines and equipment. It can be said that the campus is equipped with modern technical facilities and equipment particularly in the areas of Automotive, Civil, Electrical, Electronics, and Mechanical Technology, as well as competent faculty in their specified areas who were trained in Australia.  
 
With its vision which is to become center of excellence in engineering and technology, curriculum revisions was undertaken to answer the demands of the service area thus Mechanical Engineering was opened and Bachelor of Science in Industrial Education and Bachelor of Science in Industrial Arts were fused into Bachelor of Technology Education. Its clienteles are attended to by a manpower of 102 composed of 62 faculty, 27 staff with plantilla position, 5 casuals, and 8 emergency hired or job contract employees.

Institutional Goals:
By its charter, USM is mandated to accelerate the socio- economic development of its area and to hasten the integration of Christians, Muslims and other cultural communities in Southern Philippines. The USM-KCC seeks to achieve this goal through the pursuit of the universityÂ’s four fold functions of research, instruction, extension and production all aimed at producing competent human resources and generating and promoting appropriate technologies.
 
After the formal turn-over of the NCCAT to USM, the leadership of the campus vigorously pursued various programs addressing different areas of concern, such as:
 
1. Pursuit of academic excellences and quality education;
2. Prudence and efficiency in the use of its meager resources;
3. Establishment of additional income- generating projects;
4. Strengthen and expand external linkage to sustain its growth;
5. Implement a vigorous extension program to amplify the campus, 
     contribution to community development;
6. Installation of water system in anticipation of the El Niño phenomenon;
7. Renovation of USM-KCC Social Hall in view of the growing students;
8. Strengthening and expansion of the IGP in anticipation of the government  
     withdrawal of subsidy, and
9. Enhancement of the Cyberspace to meet the growing demands of the  
    students.