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Cristina Chi - Philstar.com
June 18, 2026 | 12:34pm
Undated photo shows the Oblation statue in the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City.
The STAR / File photo
MANILA, Philippines — All five Philippine universities in the QS World University Rankings 2027 fell in their standings, with rankings firm Quacquarelli Symonds saying advances elsewhere in higher education may be the cause of the drop.
The University of the Philippines dropped 40 places to 402nd, and Ateneo de Manila University fell 70 spots to 581st.
In the results released Thursday, June 18, by the London-based firm, De La Salle University slid to the 751-760 band from 654th, the University of Santo Tomas moved to the 951-1000 band from 851-900, and Adamson University dropped to the 1201-1400 band from 1001-1200.
The drop left the Philippines off the list of 13 most-improved higher education systems this year, a group led by Azerbaijan, Austria and Hong Kong, according to a press release by QS.
Globally, 670 of more than 1,500 ranked institutions slid in their standings, while just over 400 climbed and more than 330 held steady.
Critics of global university rankings have long argued these lists are not a definitive basis of education quality, given research firms' usual methodology that emphasizes research output and citations over teaching and social impact.
QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter said this year's results "suggests that global peers are advancing at a faster pace, be that in research intensity, sustaining international partnerships or ensuring the best graduate outcomes.”
Indicator-level gains
Three schools from the Philippines achieved gains in individual indicators even as their overall ranks fell.
Ateneo climbed 15 places in Employment Outcomes to 142nd in the world and improved in Sustainability. De La Salle also rose in Sustainability. Adamson improved in International Faculty.
The country now has two universities in the global top 40%, up from zero in 2017.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology remains the highest-ranked school in QS' world rankings for the 15th consecutive year.
The National University of Singapore, the only Asian school in the global top 10, is ranked tenth. This is two spots lower than than its eighth place last year.
The QS methodology weighs research and discovery at 50%, employability and outcomes at 20%, global engagement at 15%, learning experience at 10% and sustainability at 5%.
