Ateneo de Manila University remained the top Philippine entry in the 2026 Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings, holding the country’s highest position in the 501 to 600 bracket.
The rankings were released on April 23 and covered 929 universities across 36 countries and territories. The evaluation used 18 indicators grouped into five areas which measure teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry engagement. These metrics determine how universities perform across core academic and institutional functions.
Five other Philippine universities entered the rankings. De La Salle University, Mapúa University, University of Santo Tomas, and the University of the Philippines were placed in the 601 to 800 bracket. Mindanao State University Iligan Institute of Technology was listed in the 801 and above range.
The Commission on Higher Education(CHED) confirmed that six Philippine higher education institutions were included in the ranked list. The agency said participation in global benchmarking continues to expand as more universities submit institutional data for evaluation.
“These rankings affirm that Philippine higher education institutions are steadily gaining ground in the global academic community,” said Shirley Agrupis.
The Times Higher Education rankings are used by universities worldwide to measure performance and compare outcomes across regions. The results show where Philippine institutions stand against regional leaders and how they perform under the same standards applied across Asia.
The outcome carries weight beyond placement. These rankings influence academic reputation, research partnerships, and international student interest. For Philippine universities, each entry signals progress in meeting global benchmarks while exposing the gap that still separates them from Asia’s top institutions.
