House panel lauds UP, 13 other universities for being among Asia's best


The House Committee on Higher Education has commended 14 higher education institutions for “bringing pride and honor” to the country for being ranked  among the best learning institutions in Asia based on the latest 2021 Quacquarelli Symonds World University Rankings (QSWUR).

University of the Philippines (up.edu.ph)

The House panel has batted for the adoption of House Resolution No. 1485 proposing that the Lower House honor the 14 top Philippine universities, seven of which made the list for the past two years.

 Authored by Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez, HR 1485 sought to “congratulate and commend” the 14 universities for being included in the QSWUR which is an annual publication of university rankings comprising the global overall and subject rankings.

Rodriguez said the QS is the leading provider of global education services, insights and analytics, and “is one of the world’s trusted independent source of global intelligence in the higher education sector through its 20-year collection of institutional data and research projects.

“Fourteen (14) Philippine universities have been recognized as the best higher education institutions (HEIs) in Asia through their inclusion in the QC 2021 World University Rankings (Asia 2021),” Rodriguez disclosed.

LIsted in the QSWUR are: University of the Philippines (69); Ateneo de Manila University (135); De la Salle University (166); University of Santo Tomas (186); University of San Carlos (451-500); Ateneo de Davao University (501-550) Mapua University  (501-550); Siliman University (501-550); Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (551-600); Adamson University (601+) Central Luzon State University (601+); Central Mindanao University (601+); Central Philippine University (601+); and Xavier University (601+).

Rodriguez said UP, AdMU, DLSU, UST, USC, MU and SU were also included in the 2020 QCWUR honor roll.

“The recognition given to the additional HEIs as among the best in Asia proves that the country’s efforts to provide access to quality education are bearing fruit,” he added.

According to the Mindanaoan solon the cited HEIs were grantees of the Scholarship for Graduate Studies Abroad program initiated by the Commission on Higher Education.  

Under the said program, faculty members are sent abroad to “experience international education and gain cultural understanding and perspective.”

The state-run MSU-IIT, CLSU and CMU are grantees of the “Fostering World Class Philippine University”, a CHED-initiated project that aims to boost “global presence of the Philippine higher education sector and cultivate  world-class Philippine universities.