PH universities miss Asia’s top 500 for the first time in THE rankings history

For the first time since its debut in 2017, no Philippine university made it to the top 500 in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings, marking a low point in the country’s regional academic standing.

The 2025 rankings, released on 24 April, show that the highest-ranked Philippine universities — Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines — now fall within the 501–600 bracket. Ateneo dropped from the 401–500 tier it held last year, while UP retained its position. De La Salle University slipped further to the 601+ tier, now joined by Mapúa University, University of Santo Tomas (UST), and Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT).

According to The Varsitarian, UST maintained its standing in the 601+ bracket but rose to second place among Philippine schools, buoyed by strong scores in International Outlook — the highest among all local institutions — and notable improvements in research quality and teaching. “We focus on interdisciplinary research to address real-world problems,” said Asst. Prof. Nestor Ong of the UST Office of QS/THE Rankings, citing progress aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

A total of 853 universities from 35 countries and territories were ranked this year, with five institutions from China entering the top 10, led by Tsinghua and Peking universities. The National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University took the top two spots in Southeast Asia.

THE’s evaluation includes five pillars: research quality (30%), research environment (28%), teaching (24.5%), industry (10%), and international outlook (7.5%). While Ateneo posted a gain in research quality, its overall ranking slid due to small declines in other metrics.

The Philippines also had 15 institutions classified as “reporter” universities — schools that submitted data but did not meet ranking criteria. These include Central Luzon State University, Saint Louis University, Quezon City University, and Cebu Technological University.

Despite the drop in global recognition, Philippine universities continue to emphasize reforms and strategic collaborations to climb back up the academic ladder. As Phil Baty, THE’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, noted: “There is growing visibility and success for Southeast Asian nations — and the Philippines remains part of that journey.”