Top colleges and universities

By Dr. Rex Casiple

The 2021 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings evaluated and identified the top universities in the world from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, China, Japan, Asia, among others. The top five universities are Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, Stanford University, Cornell University and University of California – Berkeley. All are from the United States.

Fourteen (14) Philippine universities are included among Asia’s best higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings for Asia 2021. These include our very own Central Philippine University (CPU) in Western Visayas.

The QS World University Rankings is a global higher education think-tank and compiler of the world’s university rankings. This year’s ranking has shown an increase in the number of Philippine universities included in the top performing universities in Asia. Furthermore, five (5) Philippine universities are included in this year’s Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings. These are the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, Tarlac Agricultural University, and Mapua University. The THE 2021 Impact Rankings is the global performance tables that assess universities against the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The rankings review and rank around 1,115 universities from 94 countries/regions. It measures how an institution’s research, outreach and stewardship deliver against the United Nations’ SDGs – a blueprint to achieving a better and more sustainable future for all.

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has been assisting our potential high performing HEIs understand the international ranking system and promote their internationalization initiatives through university-to-university twinning programs and research, study visits by university presidents, and scholarships in top foreign universities. It should be noted that in the past five years HEIs in the country have gained an increase in international exposure and visibility by attending educational fairs and international conferences; mobilizing students and faculty exchange programs; and building strategic partnerships, researches and linkages with other universities in the other parts of the world.

The most popular universities in the Philippines were identified in the 2021 Philippine University Ranking of 232 HEIs using the uniRank selection criteria based on the valid, unbiased and non-influenceable web metrics provided by independent web intelligence sources.

There are eighteen (18) colleges and universities from Western Visayas included in the ranking: Central Philippine University, UP Visayas, University of St. La Salle, Aklan State University, University of San Agustin, West Visayas State University, University of Antique, John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University, Iloilo Science and Technology University, University of Iloilo-PHINMA, University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos, Capiz State University, Filamer Christian University, Central Philippine Adventist College, Guimaras State College, St. Paul University Iloilo, STI West Negros University and Western Institute of Technology.

On the other hand, the validity period of autonomous and deregulated status granted by CHED to six (6) private HEIs in the Region was extended from June 1, 2021 to May 31, 2023. There are four (4) autonomous and two (2) deregulated private HEIs in the Region, namely Central Philippine University, John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation-Bacolod, John B. Lacson Foundation Maritime University and University of St. La Salle; and Filamer Christian University and University of San Agustin respectively.

These autonomous and deregulated private HEIs have the demonstrated and consistent adherence to high standards of instruction, research and scholarships. They were selected through their long tradition of integrity and untarnished reputation, commitment to excellence and sustainability and viability of operations.