Ateneo Is Still No. 1 PH University at THE Asia Rankings 2025

(SPOT.ph) For the third year in a row, Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) is the top performer out of the five Philippine universities in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Asia Rankings for 2025.

The Loyola School along Katipunan Avenue in QC ranked 501-600 in a total of 853 universities across 35 countries and regions. However, its current standing is a drop from the 401–500 bracket in the 2024 edition of the Asia rankings.

ADMU is joined in this year's list by fellow “Big 4” schools—the University of the Philippines (UP), De La Salle University (DLSU), and University of Santo Tomas (UST)—as well as Mapua University and Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) in the 601+ bracket. Meanwhile, 15 other schools were listed as “reporters,” meaning they submitted data but did not qualify for a ranking. 

Even though ADMU and UP are in the same 501–600 bracket, ADMU is ranked slightly higher because it did better than UP in Research Quality (43.4 vs. 33.7) and Teaching (35.7 vs. 29.5). UP might have higher scores in International Outlook, Research Environment, and Industry, but those weren’t enough to pull its overall rank above ADMU's since THE gives more weight to research and teaching.

This latest achievement only adds to Ateneo’s consistent showing in global rankings. In the THE World University Rankings 2024, it was also the highest-ranked institution from the Philippines, placing in the 1001–1200 bracket out of 1,904 universities in the world.

Also read: Things to Do In Ateneo If You’re Not a Student

Philippine universities in the THE Asia Rankings 2025

501-600

• Ateneo de Manila University
• University of the Philippines

601+

• De La Salle University
• Mapua University
• Mindanao State University–Iligan Institute of Technology
• University of Santo Tomas

THE is a UK-based group that ranks “research-intensive universities” across the globe based on teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook. 

Across the broader region, Tsinghua University (China) topped the Asia rankings, followed by Peking University (China) and the National University of Singapore (Singapore) in second and third place, respectively. 

Here are the 15 local universities under  “reporter” status:

• Cebu Technological University
• Central Luzon State University
• De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde
• Lyceum-Northwestern University
• Manila Central University
• National University Philippines
• Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology
• Philippine State College of Aeronautics
• Quezon City University
• Saint Louis University
• Tarlac Agricultural University
• University of Eastern Philippines
• University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines
• University of the Immaculate Conception
• Visayas State University

Also read: Ateneo's Rizal Library Is Home To These 10 Cultural Gems