MANILA: Commission on Higher Education (CHED) chairperson J. Prospero de Vera III on Friday said a paradigm shift in advancing sustainable development goals (SDG) is evident as 56 Philippine higher education institutions (HEI) joined the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings (THE-IR). In a statement, De Vera said the HEIs were included for their "real-world" impact in terms of integrating select SDGs in their programs. SDG is part of the 2030 agenda set by the United Nations which entails a 17-point call to action to resolve challenges in poverty, hunger, health, economy, education, environment, equality, and justice, among others. 'We are witnessing a paradigm shift where universities are actively integrating social development goals into their core mission,' he said. In particular, the HEIs excelled in SDG 1, No Poverty; SDG 2, Zero Hunger; SDG 3, Good Health and Well-Being; SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 7, Affordable and Clean Energy; SDG 14, Climate Action; and SDG 16, Peace, Justice, a nd Strong Institutions. 'This collective effort reflects the growing understanding that universities have a vital role to play in addressing global challenges,' De Vera said. Out of 2,152 universities from 125 countries across the globe, the Philippines is one of the top 10 countries with the greatest number of participating HEIs in THE-IR. This year's participation is a 93-percent increase from last year's 29, and much higher than the five in 2022, four in 2021 and 2020 and one in 2019. The globally ranked Philippine universities are the following: 1. Ateneo de Manila University 2. Visayas State University 3. De La Salle University 4. Biliran Province State University 5. Ifugao State University 6. Bulacan State University 7. University of the Philippines 8. Cagayan State University 9. Batangas State University 10. Catanduanes State University 11. Mariano Marcos State University 12. Cavite State University 13. Saint Louis University 14. Central Philippines State University 15. University of Santo Tomas 16. Central Philippine University 17. Benguet State University 18. Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University 19. Central Luzon State University 20. Far Eastern University - Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation 21. Isabela State University 22. Iloilo Science and Technology University 23. Leyte Normal University 24. Lyceum- Northwestern University 25. Mapua University 26. Lyceum of the Philippines University 27. Mountain Province State Polytechnic College 28. Mabalacat City College 29. Samar State University 30. Mapua Malayan Colleges Laguna 31. Tarlac Agricultural University 32. Pangasinan State University 33. Cebu Technological University 34. Panpacific University 35. Central Bicol State University of Agriculture 36. Polytechnic University of the Philippines 37. Cordillera Career Development College 38. Quezon City University 39. Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute Technology 40. Southern Leyte State University 41. Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technol ogy 42. University of Eastern Philippines 43. Philippine Normal University 44. University of Mindanao 45. San Beda University 46. University of San Carlos 47. St. Paul University Philippines 48. University of Southern Mindanao 49. University of Baguio 50. University of the Immaculate Conception 51. University of Northern Philippines 52. Virgen Milagrosa University Foundation 53. University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines 54. WCC Aeronautical and Technological College 55. University of Cordilleras 56. Western Philippine University The Ateneo de Manila University garnered the highest ranking among the batch, securing a place in the 201-300 bracket. Besides SDG-based evaluation, all participating universities were also ranked considering programs, research, and faculty development, among others. Before THE-IR, the CHED also lauded 65 Philippine HEIs which were included among the top 300 most innovative universities across the globe, based on the World University Rankings for I nnovation 2024 issued last week. Source: Philippines News Agency
