UST remained among the top three universities in the Philippines according to the 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) rankings, based on the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.
The University stayed in the 601-800 worldwide bracket in the rankings, with an overall score of 59.7-66.7.
It was joined by Batangas State University, Leyte Normal University, Mariano Marcos State University, and Tarlac Agricultural University.
“The ranking is relative to the performance of the participating universities. The performance of top universities may affect the performance of other participating universities,” said Nestor Ong, head of the UST Office of QS/THE Rankings.
“The current ranking results reflect the current competitive environment,” he added.
A total of 29 Philippine universities were ranked by the THE this year, an increase from 15 in 2022.
Ateneo de Manila University remained the highest-ranked Philippine university, followed by De La Salle University and the University of the Philippines, respectively.
UST improved its scores and ranks in SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 9 (Industry Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
“These improvements across multiple SDGs reflect UST’s commitment and efforts [toward] sustainable development, social impact, and addressing global challenges,” Ong said.
UST was the top Philippine University in SDG 9 or Industry Innovation and Infrastructure, placing in the 401-600 bracket worldwide.
Out of the 17 SDGs, the University posted its highest scores in SDG 3 or Good Health and Well-being, SDG 5 or Gender Equality, and SDG 7 or Affordable and Clean Energy.
The THE Impact Rankings evaluated universities’ contributions to the achievement of the SDGs of the United Nations in four areas: research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching.
It assessed a university’s performance based on its score in SDG 17 or Partnerships for the Goals (22 percent) and three other SDGs where it scored the highest (26 percent each).
