ALL FIVE Philippine schools included in the 2027 Quacquarelli-Symonds (QS) World University Rankings saw their global standings decline, with UST still the No. 4university in the country.
The latest QS rankings, released on June 18, showed UST logging an overall score of 18.4, placing it in the 951-1,000 bracket worldwide, down from its 851-900 ranking in the previous (2026) edition.
It obtained the following scores across the nine indicators used by QS to measure an institution’s performance:
- sustainability – 52.8 (from 40.2)
- international student ratio – 10.3 (from 9.0);
- international research network – 19;
- citations per faculty – 1.7;
- international faculty ratio – 37.9 (from 38.5);
- faculty-student ratio – 12.3 (from 14.1);
- academic reputation – 16.8 (from 20.3);
- employment outcomes –21.8 (from 25.5);
- employer reputation – 41.5 (from 45.9); and
- international students diversity – no score
Based on the rankings per indicator, UST led in the international faculty and international students indicators among the five Philippine universities ranked.
It maintained its placement in faculty-student ratio, international research network, international students, citations per faculty, and sustainability indicators, all of which placed within the 801+ range.
However, the University fell in employer reputation (324th), international faculty (536th), employment outcomes (734th), and academic reputation (701+) compared with its placements in the previous rankings.
The University’s strongest weighted indicator was employer reputation, where it remained tied for No. 1 nationally despite falling to 324th from 294th in the previous edition. Its most improved indicator by weight was sustainability, which remained within the 801+ band.
UST suffered its largest decline by weight in employment outcomes, slipping to 734th from 631st the previous year. Its weakest weighted indicator was citations per faculty, where it maintained the 801+ rank.
No score was given to UST for the international students’ diversity ranking. This performance indicator carried no weight in the overall computation of an institution’s score.
UST’s ranking ‘far more nuanced’
Asst. Prof. Nestor Ong, director of the UST Office of the QS/THE Rankings, said the drop in the University’s ranking was “far more nuanced,” pointing out that some indicators had actually improved.
“While the headline reflects a shift in our overall rank to 951–1000, the reality behind the data is far more nuanced. It is important to emphasize that UST actually improved its actual performances across individual metrics,” he told the Varsitarian.
“Improving in isolation is no longer enough. This year’s QS World University Rankings reflect the staggering breadth and diversity of global higher education,” he added.
He said other Philippine universities might have also faced downward pressure due to “heightened global competition.”
Ong said the University viewed the setback as a “roadmap” to identify areas that need improvement.
“The data clearly shows where we are thriving and where we must aggressively channel our institutional resources—particularly in global research citations—to keep pace with an expanding global landscape,” he said.
A total of five Philippine universities made it to the 2027 QS World University Rankings, led by the University of the Philippines, which dropped to 402nd from 362nd.
Ateneo de Manila University was the second highest ranked Philippine institution at 581st, down from 511th last year, while De La Salle University placed in the 751–760 bracket, falling from 654th in the previous rankings.
Adamson University placed in the 1,201-1,400 bracket in this year’s rankings, dropping from the 1,001-1,200 ranking it attained in 2026.
Mapua University, which previously ranked 1,401+ range, failed to make the cut in the 2027 edition of the rankings.
Way behind global peers
QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter said the results suggested that while Philippine institutions had “acknowledged the role of higher education,” global peers were still ahead.
“The country has acknowledged the role higher education will play working towards its ambition of creating a prosperous, predominantly middle-class society as part of the AmBisyon Natin 2040,” he said.
“However, this year’s results suggest that global peers are advancing at a faster pace, be that in research intensity, sustaining international partnerships or ensuring the best graduate outcomes,” Sowter added.
The United States’ Massachusetts Institute of Technology retained its position as the No. 1 university worldwide, a title it has held for 15 consecutive years. Imperial College London placed second, followed by Stanford University at third.
The QS World University Rankings 2027 evaluated more than 8,000 institutions across 106 countries and territories based on five criteria or “lenses” and nine performance indicators.
The research and discovery lens accounted for 50%, comprising academic reputation (30%) and citations per faculty (20%).
The employability and outcomes lens used employer reputation (15%) and employment outcomes (5%) as indicators, with a 20% weight.
International faculty (5%), international research network (5%), international student ratio (5%), and international student diversity (0%) were the indicators under the global engagement lens, accounting for 15%.
The learning experience lens used faculty-to-student ratio (10%) as its sole indicator. Sustainability accounted for 5%. With reports from Carlo Jose H. Ruga
