The Ateneo de Manila University. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Ateneo de Manila University is the top Philippine school for a third straight year based on the latest Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings released Wednesday.

The Jesuit-run university led Philippine higher education institutions in the 2025 THE World University Rankings and remained in the 1001-1200 bracket.

While Ateneo President Fr. Roberto Yap hailed the "global recognition" as an achievement, he said in a statement that "rankings like these do not fully define what Ateneo stands for; they are merely tools for benchmarking and continual improvement as an institution."

"Our core mission remains the same: to educate and form minds and hearts to be of service to others, in a distinctly Filipino, Catholic, and Jesuit way," Yap said.

Ateneo still top Philippine university in world rankings

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The University of the Philippines retained its second spot in the 1201-1500 bracket.

Mindanao State University (MSU) — Iligan Institute of Technology joined the De La Salle University, University of Santo Tomas, and Mapúa University in the 1501+ bracket.

MSU was listed as a "reporter" in the previous THE rankings, which means it submitted data but failed to be ranked.

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Meanwhile, the University of Oxford still held the global top spot for the ninth consecutive year while the Massachusetts Institute of Technology rose to second place and overtook Stanford University, which dropped to sixth place, according to THE.

It added that China "edges closer to the top 10, further boosting its global research influence."

THE World University Rankings, launched in 2004, is one of the most authoritative groups assessing higher education institutions worldwide.

A total of 2,092 institutions from 115 countries and territories were evaluated in the latest rankings and assessed based on teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry. 

There are 185 new entries when compared with last year, THE said.