Fernan Carigma

The University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman has once again distinguished itself after being recognized in the January 2025 Webometrics Ranking of World Universities, marking significant progress within the global academic landscape. 

Photo Courtesy of UP Diliman.

In the July 2024 edition, the University of the Philippines Diliman experienced a temporary decline from its position among the top 10 global institutions. However, it surged back to the number one spot, achieving a ranking of 938th worldwide out of nearly 32,000 higher education institutions.

The Webometrics Ranking evaluates universities by examining their online presence, the visibility of their research, and the impact of their web content. This assessment plays a crucial role in promoting knowledge transfer across various societies, thereby enhancing academic collaboration and accessibility.

“The Ranking Web is not a ranking of university websites, but a ranking of universities themselves,” the Cybermetrics Lab said. “It uses both webometric (all missions) and bibliometric (research mission) indicators.”

While the UP Diliman has made a commendable recovery, De La Salle University (DLSU) has fallen to second place, now ranking 1,521st globally.

Other prominent Filipino institutions include the UP System at 1,829th and Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) at 2,055th in the global rankings.

In the July 2024 edition, a total of 364 higher education institutions from the Philippines were evaluated; however, the specific number for January 2025 has yet to be announced.

The Cybermetrics Lab emphasizes that these rankings are designed to promote open access to the knowledge produced by universities and to encourage institutions to enhance their digital visibility. 

The recovery of the UP Diliman underscores the growing significance of web content and online research in contemporary academia. According to Webometrics, "the best strategy for improving a university’s rank is to increase the quantity and quality of its web content."

Philippine universities now encounter the imperative of enhancing their online impact to remain competitive within global academic circles. Notably, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) achieved fifth place 2,406th spot in the rankings, while Mapua University (3,215th), UP Manila (3,278th), Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology (3,317th), University of San Carlos (3,663rd) and Mindanao State University Marawi City (4,180th) also secured positions within the top ten.

Established in 2004 by Spain's National Research Council, the Webometrics Ranking continues to motivate universities to cultivate an online presence that accurately represents their research endeavors and academic missions.