VSU soars to 301-400 global bracket in 2026 THE Impact Ranking, emerges as top SUC in the Philippines
- Details
- Written by Mike Laurence V. Lumen
-
Published: 24 June 2026
Visayas State University (VSU) achieved its highest placement yet in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, climbing to the 301-400 global bracket and placing among the world’s leading universities in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations.
The latest results mark a significant leap from its previous 1001-1500 ranking in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Since joining the rankings for the first time in 2022, the university has steadily improved its standing on the global stage.
The rise is reflected in the overall score, which increased from 51.7 in 2022, 53.1 in 2023, 55.3 in 2024, 59.2 in 2025, and 73.9 in 2026, its highest score to date.
VSU placed second among Philippine universities, next to Ateneo de Manila University (201-300), and emerged as the highest-ranked State University and College (SUC) in the country.
On the regional level, VSU emerged as the top-performing university in Eastern Visayas, with Leyte Normal University following in the 401–600 global bracket.
This year’s results come amid a highly competitive field, with 160 Philippine higher education institutions and 1,646 academic institutions worldwide participating in the rankings.
The university delivered exceptional performances across these indicators.
VSU also ranked 15th worldwide under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), placing among the top-performing universities globally in promoting transparent governance, institutional integrity, public accountability, and inclusive decision-making.
Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality), VSU placed 32nd worldwide out of 1,095 participating institutions, reflecting sustained efforts in creating opportunities for women in education, leadership, research, and community engagement.
The university further secured the 91st global rank under SDG 15 (Life on Land) out of 658 institutions, recognizing its contributions to agriculture, biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, environmental stewardship, and forestry and environmental science research.
Meanwhile, under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), VSU ranked within the 201-300 global bracket.
Beyond its top-performing SDGs, VSU also recorded strong placements across the other SDGs.
- SDG 1 (No Poverty): 401-600
- SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): 101-200
- SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing): 801-1000
- SDG 4 (Quality Education): 401-600
- SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): 401-600
- SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): 601-800
- SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): 401-600
- SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure): 201-300
- SDG 10 (Reducing Inequalities): 401-600
- SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): 401-600
- SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production): 401-600
- SDG 13 (Climate Action): 401-600
- SDG 14 (Life Below Water): 101-200
The latest rankings signal the growing international recognition of VSU in education, research, extension, innovation, sustainability, and public service.
University President Dr. Prose Ivy G. Yepes welcomed the announcement, describing the result as a reflection of years of consistent work across all VSU campuses.
“When we joined the THE Impact Rankings in 2022, we wanted to see where we stood and where we needed to improve. We have been finding ways to make our instruction, research, extension programs, and others more responsive to real-world concerns. We have been building programs that respond to the needs of communities. We see to it that sustainability, resilience, and inclusivity are part of how we operate. Over time, those efforts began to add up, and this year’s result reflects that,” Dr. Yepes said.
She also thanked everyone across the VSU campuses who worked behind the scenes, and to the Technical Working Group led by the International Affairs and Relations Office for putting the submissions together.
The THE Impact Rankings is the world's leading performance table that assesses universities based on their contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Unlike traditional rankings that focus primarily on research and teaching outputs, the Impact Rankings evaluate how institutions translate knowledge into action through policies, programs, partnerships, and public service initiatives that address society's most pressing challenges.
VSU submitted evidence across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the second consecutive year. Under the THE Impact Rankings methodology, an institution’s overall score is based on its performance in SDG 17 (Partnership for the Goals), which is mandatory for all participating universities, and its three highest-scoring SDGs. For VSU in 2026, these were SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 15 (Life on Land), which collectively contributed to the University’s overall ranking.
This article is aligned with all the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
