Phl universities slip further in world rankings

MANILA, Philippines - The country’s leading universities have slipped further in the 2013 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings.

The University of the Philippines dropped from 348 last year to 380 this year, followed by Ateneo de Manila University from 501 to 550; and the University of Santo Tomas at 701.

Of the four Philippine schools included in the QS Top 800 Universities, only the De La Salle University maintained its 2012 slot at 601.

“The reputation of the leading universities in the Philippines remains highly regarded among international academics and it has actually grown compared to last year but on the rest of the indicators they have dropped considerably,” Ben Sowter, head of research at QS, said.

Sowter said to improve their competitiveness on the global scene, Filipino institutions have to increase their influence in research and in the ability to attract international faculty.

“As one of the emerging Asian tigers, the Philippines should invest in knowledge creation to fuel and sustain its rapid growth,” Sowter said.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology topped this year’s list, followed by Harvard University, University of Cambridge, University College London, Imperial College London, University of Oxford, Stanford University, Yale University, University of Chicago, California Institute of Technology and Princeton University.

The QS World University Rankings is an annual survey of the top universities.

It is widely referenced by prospective and current students, university professionals and governments worldwide.

Now on its 10th edition, the QS World University Rankings 2013-2014 rank the world’s top 800 universities, out of over 3,000 considered.

The QS World University Rankings are based on four key pillars: research, teaching, employability and internationalization, and methodology.