Marking a historic achievement for the country’s higher education sector and placing the Philippines at the top among Southeast Asian nations, a total of 121 Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs) have made it to the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings.

The latest impact rankings, released on June 18, showed the Philippines ranked among global leaders in university participation.

With 121 universities ranked, the Philippines now ranks third globally—behind only India (147) and Pakistan (126)—in the number of participating institutions.

The total more than doubled from last year’s 56, reflecting a rapid and sustained commitment among Philippine higher education institutions (HEIs) to contribute to the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

THE Impact Rankings, now in its sixth year, evaluate universities based on their performance in areas such as research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching aligned with the SDGs.

Leading the Philippine delegation once again is Ateneo de Manila University, which climbed from the 201–300 bracket in 2024 to the 101–200 bracket globally this year.

Three other Philippine institutions shared second place among local HEIs: Batangas State University, Isabela State University, and University of the Philippines. All three landed in the 401–600 global bracket.

Meanwhile, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) maintained its performance within the 601–800 band for the fifth straight year. UST shares this ranking with other strong contenders including Caraga State University – Ampayon Campus, Ifugao State University, Mariano Marcos State University, Leyte Normal University, and Saint Louis University.

The Commission on Higher Education–National Capital Region (CHED-NCR), in a Facebook post on June 18, also commended 20 HEIs from Metro Manila that earned spots in the 2025 THE University Impact Rankings.

Aside from Ateneo, Lyceum of the Philippines University (LPU) notably advanced in the global rankings, moving up from the 1501+ bracket to the 1001–1500 range—marking a significant improvement in its institutional impact.

“This global recognition highlights the valuable contributions of Philippine HEIs in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through research, community engagement, and institutional governance,” CHED-NCR said.

Based on the recent list, 11 HEIs placed in the 801–1000 bracket, forming the country’s fourth tier in the rankings.

These include: Benguet State University, Bukidnon State University, Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (improved from 1001–1500), Central Luzon State University, De La Salle University (dropped from 401–600), Kalinga State University, Mapúa University, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (up from 1001–1500), Mountain Province State Polytechnic College, and Southern Luzon State University.

The 2025 edition saw 2,526 universities from 130 countries and regions participate. At the top of the global rankings is Western Sydney University (Australia), followed by the University of Manchester (United Kingdom).

To qualify, institutions must submit data on SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) and at least three other SDGs.

The final score is calculated with SDG 17 weighted at 22 percent and the top three scoring SDGs at 26 percent each.

This unprecedented representation of Philippine universities marks a major shift in how HEIs are aligning with global development standards.

As sustainability and social impact become central to global university performance, the Philippines’ strong showing in the 2025 THE Impact Rankings is a testament to the evolving excellence of its higher education institutions.

Former Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Chairman Popoy De Vera celebrated the milestone in a Facebook post.

“Proud of our HEIs!,” De Vera said. “From less than 10 when I became CHED Chair to more than 100 world-ranked HEIs! All you need is a vision and the tenacity to make it happen!” he added.