QUEZON CITY — Ateneo de Manila University has retained its position as the Philippines’ top university in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, remaining in the 1001–1200 global band. This marks the fourth consecutive year Ateneo led Philippine institutions in the influential international ranking released on October 9, 2025.
According to THE’s 2026 listings, Ateneo’s standing reflects continued performance in teaching quality, research environment, and international outlook. The ranking evaluates 2,191 institutions across 115 countries and regions using 18 indicators across five pillars: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry, and international reputation.
Philippine universities in the list
The University of the Philippines (UP) followed in the 1201–1500 band, while De La Salle University (DLSU), Mapúa University, Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), and the University of Santo Tomas (UST) were grouped in the 1501+ category.
All six Philippine universities retained their placements from the previous year, and no new local institutions joined the 2026 roster.
UP’s systemwide presence continues to anchor much of the country’s research output, while DLSU, Mapúa, MSU-IIT, and UST remain consistent performers in teaching and industry engagement, according to their respective THE profiles.
Global overview
At the global level, Oxford University topped the 2026 table for the eighth straight year, followed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Princeton University and the University of Cambridge shared third place, while Harvard University and Stanford University tied for fifth.
Times Higher Education noted that Asia’s leading institutions showed a slowdown in ranking progress for the first time in 14 years, even as universities in Europe and the Middle East improved in research quality and collaboration metrics. U.S. universities, meanwhile, continued to face challenges linked to funding and publication competitiveness.
Significance for Philippine higher education
Ateneo’s sustained presence near the upper tier of Philippine universities underscores its growing focus on research visibility, international partnerships, and faculty development. The rankings provide an external benchmark that helps local institutions align with global standards, attract international collaborations, and secure competitive research funding.
For other Philippine universities, the results reaffirm the importance of investing in research infrastructure, publication quality, and global engagement to climb higher in the rankings. Experts note that the consistent inclusion of six local institutions demonstrates a maturing academic landscape that could yield stronger regional competitiveness within ASEAN in the coming years.
The methodology
THE’s World University Rankings combine quantitative data from Scopus and Elsevier’s bibliometric database with institutional submissions on teaching and research. Universities without undergraduate programs, insufficient research output, or overly narrow specialization are excluded from the table.
