UP stays on top as PH universities slip in QS World University Rankings 2027

The University of the Philippines (UP) continued to lead Philippine universities in the QS World University Rankings 2027 even as all five local institutions fell in the global standings released on Thursday.

UP ranked 402nd worldwide, followed by Ateneo de Manila University at 581st. De La Salle University placed in the 751-760 bracket, while the University of Santo Tomas (UST) landed in the 951-1000 range and Adamson University in the 1201-1400 band.

According to global higher education analyst QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the five Philippine institutions maintained their presence in the rankings despite intensifying competition among universities worldwide.

However, all five universities posted lower rankings compared with the previous edition. UP slipped from 362nd place in 2026, while Ateneo fell from 511th. De La Salle University dropped from 654th, UST from the 851-900 bracket, and Adamson University from the 1001-1200 range.

QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter said the results indicate that while Philippine universities continue to be represented in the rankings, institutions in other countries are "advancing at a faster pace, be that in research intensity, sustaining international partnerships or ensuring the best graduate outcomes."

"Rankings suggest that Filipino institutions are not keeping up with advances seen in other higher education systems globally. For internationally mobile students from the Philippines, a changing landscape means that universities in a wider range of study destinations are increasingly appealing as options that will put them on the path to success," QS said.

Despite the decline in rankings, several Philippine universities posted gains in specific indicators.

Ateneo de Manila University improved its standing in the Sustainability indicator and climbed 15 places in Employment Outcomes, ranking 142nd globally in that category. Ateneo and De La Salle University also posted gains in sustainability, while Adamson University improved in the International Faculty indicator.

QS noted that the Philippines has made progress over the past decade, increasing the number of universities within the world's top 40% from none in 2017 to two in 2027.

Worldwide, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology retained the top spot for the 15th straight year, followed by Imperial College London, Stanford University, the University of Oxford, and Harvard University.

Rounding out the top 10 are the University of Cambridge, the California Institute of Technology, ETH Zurich, UCL, and the National University of Singapore.

More than 330 institutions retained their previous rankings, while more than 400 improved.

"Globally, competition in the higher education ecosystem is evolving as governments seek to attract international students and researchers, and develop new avenues for research funding," QS said.

The QS World University Rankings 2027 evaluated more than 1,500 institutions across 106 countries and territories using indicators such as academic reputation, citations per faculty, employer reputation, employment outcomes, internationalization, faculty-to-student ratio, and sustainability. —VBL, GMA News