Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines (UP) continue to lead the country’s higher education field, tying as the Philippines’ top institutions in the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings.
Both universities secured spots in the 501–600 bracket, out of 853 institutions from 35 countries and territories. UP retained its position from 2024, while Ateneo experienced a modest decline from the 401–500 range last year. Despite the shift, the two remain the highest-ranked universities from the Philippines—holding their ground in a highly competitive regional landscape.
Mixed Results for Other Philippine Institutions
De La Salle University (DLSU) dropped to the 601+ bracket, after previously ranking in the 501–600 range. It now shares that position with Mapúa University, the University of Santo Tomas (UST), and Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT), all of which maintained their previous standings.
Fifteen other Philippine universities were also acknowledged as “reporter” institutions. These schools submitted data for assessment but did not meet all criteria for full inclusion in the rankings.
China Leads the Region in Academic Excellence
For the seventh year running, Tsinghua University of China topped the list, further cementing China’s role as a regional academic powerhouse. Half of the top 10 universities in the Asia rankings are from China, while others come from Singapore, Japan, and Hong Kong.
The 2025 THE Asia Rankings evaluated universities using 18 performance indicators, adapted from the global rankings to better reflect regional priorities. These indicators span five core areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry income.
