Strengthening its commitment to advancing the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Batangas State University, The National Engineering University (BatStateU The NEU), has made a significant leap in the 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings, rising from the 601–800 band to the 401–600 band out of 2,318 participating universities worldwide, as announced on June 18.
Among 113 Philippine (PH) higher education institutions making the list, BatStateU The NEU secured 2nd place nationally—further affirming its leadership in driving SDG-aligned initiatives and championing inclusive, sustainable development.
Despite intensified global competition—with 355 additional institutions participating this year—BatStateU not only ascended to a higher bracket but also recorded its highest overall performance score to date: 74.9. This marks a 10.47% increase from the previous year and an impressive 19.65% growth since its inaugural participation in 2023.
“BatStateU is honored to be recognized once again by Times Higher Education,” said Dr. Tirso A. Ronquillo, University President. “This achievement reflects the steadfast efforts of our academic community—faculty, staff, students, alumni, and partners—who bring our mission to life every single day. As we continue to elevate our global standing, we remain grounded in our purpose: to engineer meaningful change through inclusive, sustainable, and forward-thinking innovation. My deepest thanks to everyone who walks this journey with us as we strive to build a more resilient and sustainable world,” he added.
The THE Impact Rankings represents the first global initiative to assess how universities contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), evaluating performance across four key areas: research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching.
Among the 17 UN SDGs, BatStateU stood out in four key areas, earning placements within the Top 101–200 universities globally, with one SDG breaking into the Top 100. Leading the charge is SDG 5: Gender Equality, where the University ranked 68th out of 1,559 institutions, its highest SDG ranking to date. This achievement was driven by a substantial rise in the percentage of senior female academic leaders—from 34.6 to 72.5—as well as enhanced measures for student access and increased representation of first-generation female students. Equally noteworthy is the University’s performance in SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation, where it earned high scores in water usage and care, boosting its overall score to 72.3, a significant leap from 63.3 in 2024. For SDG 14: Life Below Water, BatStateU maintained its strong global standing through consistent efforts in aquatic ecosystem preservation and improved marine-sensitive waste management. Lastly, under SDG 15: Life on Land, the University maintained its upward momentum, achieving a commendable score of 71.0 through expanded environmental education programs and advances in biodiversity research.
In addition, the University has also outperformed the global average scores in 9 out of 17 SDGs, including Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17), which is a mandatory goal for the said ranking.
Batangas State University, designated as the Philippines’ National Engineering University through Republic Act No. 11694, is widely recognized for its excellence in engineering education. A Level-IV state university, it has produced over 180 engineering board topnotchers, solidifying its reputation as the country’s largest engineering university. Notably, BatStateU is also a pioneer in quality assurance for engineering education. It is the first state university in the Philippines to have engineering programs accredited by the Philippine Technological Council through its Accreditation and Certification Board for Engineering and Technology (PTC-ACBET). Moreover, it remains the first—and to date, the only—state university in the country with engineering and computing programs accredited by the US-based Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), through both its Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) and Computing Accreditation Commission (CAC).
With a QS Stars Rating of three stars, BatStateU has also earned global recognition for its commitment to sustainability, ranking as the 304th Most Sustainable University in the 2024 UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. Furthermore, it was also recognized as the 128th most innovative university globally in the prestigious World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) 2024.
At the forefront of these efforts is the University’s Center for Sustainable Development (CSD), which serves as the central hub for advancing BatStateU’s sustainability agenda. Recognizing the urgent need for action in support of national and global sustainability goals, the CSD integrates sustainability across the University’s core functions—instruction, research, innovation, extension, and administrative services.
Through active collaboration with students, faculty, staff, and partner communities, the Center fosters a shared responsibility for building a sustainable future. As such, it is envisioned to evolve into a leading platform for transformative action and thought leadership in sustainable development, both locally and globally.
For the full rankings and methodology of THE Impact Rankings, detailed information can be accessed at the THE Website.
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