UP, Ateneo, La Salle Hold the Line as PH Schools Climb in Global Humanities Race

Three of the country’s biggest universities stayed steady in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject, with the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, and De La Salle University all keeping their brackets in English Language and Literature. It is not a dramatic jump, but it shows that Philippine schools are still holding their ground in a very competitive global field.

Based on the GMA News report, UP remained in the 151–200 bracket, while Ateneo and La Salle both stayed in the 201–250 range. QS evaluated more than 21,000 academic programs from nearly 1,900 institutions in 100 countries, so simply maintaining position against that scale already says something about consistency and reputation.

The more encouraging movement came in the broader Arts and Humanities category. UP climbed to rank 257 from 331 last year, Ateneo improved to 333 from 345, and La Salle rose to 365 after previously sitting in the 401–450 bracket. That suggests stronger recognition for Philippine teaching and research beyond one subject area.

QS also noted that Asia-Pacific schools continue to gain ground, with South and Southeast Asia posting some of the strongest upward movement in the rankings. At the same time, newer fields such as data science and artificial intelligence are reshaping the academic map, while even traditional education powers are facing tighter competition.

For students and parents, the takeaway is simple: may laban pa rin ang local universities on the world stage, especially in humanities-related disciplines. The gains are gradual, not flashy, but they point to a longer-term trend of Philippine schools becoming harder to ignore internationally.

Source: GMA News — https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/981474/up-ateneo-la-salle-hold-ground-in-2026-qs-rankings/story/