Mention Stanford University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Oxford, Harvard University, University of Cambridge and University of California. Then you have the world’s top universities.
In today’s highly globalized world, it is no surprise for top students from all over the globe to choose to study in any of these higher education institutions. Now the good for the Philippines.
According to De La Salle University (DLSU) Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Dr. Raymond Tan, the university is a school of choice among foreign students in the country.
But the recent news of DLSU-Manila securing a spot in the 2019 World University Rankings by the Times Higher Education (THE) is something the university can really be proud of. After all, DLSU have been singled out as the lone private university in the Philippines which made it. The formal announcement was held in the THE Academic World Summit in the Stephen Riady Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore on September 26. According to Dr. Tan, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings is regarded as one of the most influential university rankings in the world.
The Times Higher Education is a leading provider of higher education data for research-intensive institutions globally. On its 15th year, the THE Rankings list the world’s most outstanding research-intensive universities, requiring a threshold number of Scopus publications, combined with data on teaching, innovation, international outlook, and reputation. DLSU makes its inaugural appearance in the 801–1000 bracket, placing it in the top three percent of higher education institutions worldwide.
Dr. Gerardo Largoza, director of DLSU’s Quality Assurance Office (QAO) explained how the figure three percent came to be. He said, it’s based on estimates of the total number of HEIs in the world; anywhere from 22,000 to 26,000.
“Getting into THE’s list of the world’s 1,258 best research universities suggests we are a legitimate destination for a share of the more than four million internationally mobile students seeking overseas degrees this year. It provides more momentum to our efforts to internationalize our students and staff, our curricula and institutional outlook,” he said.
For Tan, THE rankings is an important milestone in the educational institution’s quest to become a university of international standing.
“It is also a testament to how well our faculty has responded to the challenge of creating a modern, innovation-driven DLSU for our students and alumni. We now find ourselves in a better position to contribute to Philippine development through the creation of human and knowledge capital,” he said.
Likewise, Largoza considers it as further validation of the institutional commitment to research and innovation at DLSU.
“It’s given us even more impetus to improve and contribute to Philippine development. It’s an incredible achievement for an institution dependent on tuition revenue, and which entered as a single campus (quite a number are ranked in THE as university systems). I was a kid when the late Br. Andrew Gonzalez spoke at my high school about his dream of DLSU as a research university. We knew it was coming, but now that it’s here, I’m still pinching myself,” he said.
“Moreover, I reckon the THE rankings help satisfy our vision to be a “leading research university”. The same Vision keeps us grounded though, as the THE Rankings don’t provide much in the way of validating DLSU as a “leading learner-centered university”, or one that “bridges faith and scholarship, is attuned to a sustainable Earth,” he added.
DLSU takes pride in being the sole private university in the Philippines to earn a spot in this ranking, with its continued commitment to serve as a resource of innovative and sustainable solutions to global challenges through higher education and research. This is in line with the University’s commitment to be at the forefront of nation building and the preservation of the credibility of Philippine tertiary education in an integrated ASEAN.
Tan believes DLSU made it to THE rankings because of the university’s strength on three factors: teaching, research and globalization. He is most happy about it, especially in the field of research. He said, he was part of DLSU’s Competitiveness and Rankings Committee, strengthening it three years ago.
2 comments
Lord, the work is yours
– Saint La Salle
“De La Salle, as an educational institution always puts importance on hard work and achievement.”
– Brother Andrew Gonzalez FSC
Former DECS Secretary