MANILA, Philippines – Only six of the Philippines’ top universities were included in the 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, which were released on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
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| Adamson University and Mapúa University entered the QS World University Rankings for the first time. |
The University of the Philippines (UP) remains the top Philippine university, ranking 362nd in the list of the world’s top 1,500 institutions — a drop of 26 spots from last year.
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Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) improved in the international rankings, rising to 511th from 516th last year.
De La Salle University (DLSU) is now ranked 654th, compared to its previous placement in the 641–650 bracket.
The University of Santo Tomas (UST) remains in the 851–900 ranking bracket.
UST is the only university in the country with a 5-star rating, recognized for excellence in facilities, graduate employability, teaching, research, social responsibility, internationalization, and inclusiveness.
Meanwhile, Adamson University and Mapúa University entered the global rankings for the first time.
Adamson landed in the 1,001–1,200 bracket while Mapúa was listed in the 1,401+.
“This recognition is not so much a badge of honor as a humble validation of the hard work and collective effort of our faculty, staff, administrators, students, and alumni. It is a responsibility for us to continuously elevate our educational standards while remaining faithful to our Vincentian mission of service and transformative education,” Adamson University President Fr. Daniel Franklin Pilario said.
"Mapúa University makes a historic debut in the 2026 QS World University Rankings, securing a spot among the world’s top institutions. Ranked in the 1401+ bracket and joining only six Philippine universities on the list, this milestone is a powerful testament to our unwavering commitment to global excellence in education," Mapua shared in a Facebook post.
The QS World University Rankings, compiled annually by Quacquarelli Symonds, is one of the most respected global ranking systems. It assesses academic institutions worldwide based on academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, internationalization, and research impact through citations per faculty, and is widely used in measuring the global competitiveness of higher education institutions.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) celebrates its 13th consecutive year at the top. Imperial College London takes second place, while Stanford University ranks third.
This year, 562 Asian universities are featured in the QS World University Rankings. The region’s top performer is the National University of Singapore (NUS), ranked 8th globally with its highest score in academic reputation.
— The Summit Express