2026 THE Asia Rankings: 6 PH HEIs crack continental academic list

Six Philippine universities landed in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings, reflecting the country’s continued participation in global academic benchmarking among research-intensive institutions.

The London-based rankings board evaluated 929 universities across 36 countries and territories using 18 performance indicators spanning teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry engagement.

Ateneo de Manila University led the national contingent, placing in the 501–600 range.

De La Salle University, Mapúa University, University of Santo Tomas, and the University of the Philippines were all ranked between 601 and 800.

Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology placed in the 801+ position.

In a statement by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), they said that the results indicate the continued engagement of Philippine institutions in international rankings and data reporting, with more universities participating compared to previous years.

“These rankings affirm that Philippine higher education institutions are steadily gaining ground in the global academic community,” CHED Chairperson Shirley Agrupis said.

“More importantly, they highlight the growing commitment of our universities to quality, transparency, and international engagement,” she added.

48 Philippine higher education institutions participated in this year’s rankings, a significant increase from 21 in 2025, 42 of which were classified as ‘reporter’ entities after submitting data without receiving a rank.

“Our focus is not only on rankings, but on building a higher education system that produces globally competitive, future-ready Filipino graduates,” Agrupis said.

Outside the country, China maintained a strong presence in the regional list, holding multiple spots in the top 10. Universities from Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong also secured top positions.