By Merlina Hernando-Malipot
The Ateneo de Manila University has been cited by a global study as the leading university in the Philippines in terms of employability.
(Ateneo de Manila University / MANILA BULLETIN)
In the Graduate Employability Rankings 2020, the Ateneo climbed 20 places – to 161-170 from 181-190 in 2019 – which makes it the “only Philippine university in the top 200 of the annual survey.”
Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin, S.J., in a statement, said that “the result of the QS Graduate Employability Rankings 2020 shows that graduates of the University are some of the most desired in today’s local and international job markets.”
Given this, Villarin assured that the University will “remain committed to providing our students with a world-class education that can open more doors for them to practice their profession and serve others.”
The 2020 edition of the QS Graduate Employability Rankings included 750 institutions from all over the world, of which 680 are ranked and 500 are published. It is designed to evaluate academic institutions on their ability to nurture successful careers for their graduates by bringing together various factors to come up with the results.
The study looks not only at the employment rate of the institution’s graduates or their salaries for their first year of employment but also at the efforts of the universities to connect their students with possible employers which makes the ranking “more holistic and comprehensive.”
The methodology of this in-depth study focuses on five key indicators: Employer Reputation; Alumni Outcomes; Partnerships with Employers; Employer-Student Connections, and; Graduate Employment Rate.
To help ensure that the Ateneo remains the “top academic institution in the Philippines” in terms of employability, Villarin said the University “will continue to adapt, innovate, and create new openings and opportunities for our students to achieve their dreams and contribute positively to our society.”
The Graduate Employability Rankings was conducted by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, a leading global higher education company, which is best known for publishing the QS World University Rankings.