MSU-Iligan is new PHL university on Asia’s Top 500 list; UP now No. 72

The Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) has become the latest Philippine higher education institution to join the Quacquarelli Symonds' list of top universities in Asia.

According to the Commission on Higher Education, MSU-IIT joined University of San Carlos, Mapua University and Silliman University between 300 to 500 of QS Asia University Rankings 2019.

The University of the Philippines still ranked the highest among universities in the country, climbing three notches and placing 72nd on the overall rankings.

The Ateneo de Manila University (115th), De La Salle University (155th), and University of Santo Tomas (162nd) followed.

The National University of Singapore, ranking as first, was hailed as the finest in Asia.

Other universities that made it to the top 5 were The University of Hong Kong, Nanyang Technological University, Tsinghua University, and Peking University.

Eleven indicators were used to compile the QS Asian University Rankings:

• Academic reputation (30%)
• Employer reputation (20%)
• Faculty-student ratio (10%)
• International research network (10%)
• Citations per paper (10%)
• Papers per faculty (5%)
• Staff with Doctorate degrees (5%), international faculty (2.5%)
• International students (2.5%)
• Inbound exchange (2.5%)
• Outbound exchange (2.5%)

‘Boosting global competitiveness’

CHED Chairman Dr. J. Prospero De Vera III applauded the higher education institutions that made it to the list.

"I commend the eight (8) universities that are now part of the latest QS Asian university rankings and I look forward to more Philippine universities entering the top 500 in the coming years,” De Vera said.

He also said that CHED would further equip the Philippine universities for global competitiveness.

“To further boost the quality and competitiveness of our public and private institutions, the Commission will soon launch a project through its International Affairs Service that will assist Philippine universities to showcase their excellence to the world, promote their internationalization initiatives and increase global reputation through international benchmarking assessment of institutions using internationalization metrics,” De Vera added. —Dona Magsino/NB, GMA News