ANOTHER Davao-based academic institution has earned a spot among Asia’s leading universities.
The University of Mindanao (UM), the island’s largest private non-sectarian university and one of the Philippines’ top institutions in terms of accredited academic programs, has officially debuted in the 2026 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings, landing in the 1301–1400 bracket.
UM’s inclusion marks a milestone not only for the university but for Davao City and Mindanao’s higher education sector, as it joins the growing roster of Mindanao universities recognized in the international academic arena.
The achievement is being celebrated by the UM community, hailing the ranking as validation of its academic quality, strong research culture, and expanding regional impact.
UM has continued to strengthen its academic standing over the past years. The Commission on Higher Education (Ched) has granted several of its programs the status of Center of Excellence (COE) and Center of Development (COD), giving UM the highest number of COEs and CODs in Mindanao, a distinction the school often cites as proof of its commitment to accessible yet high-quality education.
The Philippines recorded its strongest performance to date in the 2026 QS Asia rankings, with 35 universities making it to the list.
The University of the Philippines (UP) remained the country’s top-ranked school at 104th place, despite sliding 18 spots from last year. Ateneo de Manila University slightly improved to 141st, followed by De La Salle University at 178th. The University of Santo Tomas (UST) stayed as the country’s fourth placer, ranking 184th among 1,530 evaluated universities.
Adamson University ranked fifth among Philippine schools at 464th, followed by the University of San Carlos at 507th. Mapúa University placed 544th, while the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and Silliman University occupied 671st and 694th respectively. Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) rounded out the top ten Philippine institutions at the 731–740 bracket.
This year also saw a notable rise of regional universities outside Metro Manila, particularly from Mindanao. Ateneo de Davao University landed in the 851–900 band; Central Mindanao University and Mindanao State University in the 1001–1100 tier; and Caraga State University, University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines, University of Southern Mindanao, and Western Mindanao State University also securing slots, proof that more institutions in southern Philippines are gaining international recognition.
The 2026 QS Asia list was topped by the University of Hong Kong, followed by China’s Peking University. Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University and the National University of Singapore tied for third.
QS evaluates universities based on 11 indicators, including academic and employer reputation, research productivity, global collaboration, and international faculty and student presence. The Asia rankings, established in 2009, assess institutions according to regional priorities such as research impact and cross-border academic engagement.
The university said its inclusion in the QS list reinforces the university’s direction of making internationalization part of its long-term strategy. With its growing number of accredited programs and research initiatives, UM expects to continue improving its global standing in the coming years.
UM’s entry into the QS Asia University Rankings places Davao City firmly on the international academic map, proof, administrators say, that excellence in higher education is not concentrated solely in the country’s capital but is also thriving in Mindanao. DEF