Wesleyan University-Philippines (WUP) made another international breakthrough after entering the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings for the first time, according to the 2026 rankings released on June 24, 2026.“For several decades of Wesleyan’s existence, this is the first time that the University has attained recognition in the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings. Being ranked by prestigious international bodies such as WURI and THE reflects the true worth of the Wesleyan people,” Dr. Irineo G. Alvaro, Jr., University President, highlighted.
He also noted that the recognitions received by the University are not merely awards, but affirmations of the collective commitment to excellence, service, innovation, and transformative education of the Wesleyan community.
“They [the awards] demonstrate that the impact of our work is being felt not only within our communities but also across the global academic landscape. As we celebrate this milestone, may we continue to build people and transform lives in ways that honor our Wesleyan heritage and fulfill our God-given mission,” he expounded.
WUP obtained an overall global ranking of 1501+ in this edition of the rankings, which evaluated 1,646 universities from 116 countries and territories across 17 individual United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) tables and one overall ranking.
The University ranked in four SDGs that included SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
For SDG 1 (No Poverty), indicators included research on poverty, the proportion of students receiving financial aid, university anti-poverty programs, and community anti-poverty programs, in which WUP was ranked in the 601–800 bracket globally in this category.
With SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), in which WUP ranked in the 801–1000 bracket globally, research on health and well-being, the proportion of health graduates, and collaborations and health services served as the parameters for evaluation.
While research on early years and lifelong learning education, the proportion of graduates with teaching qualifications, lifelong learning measures, and the proportion of first-generation students became the measures for SDG 4 (Quality Education). WUP was ranked here in the 1001+ bracket globally.
Finally, with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), indicators included research relating to the SDGs or collaborations with lower- and lower-middle-income countries, relationships that support the goals, publication of SDG reports, and education on the SDGs. WUP earned the 1501+ bracket ranking globally.
The Philippines recorded the highest number of participating institutions in the rankings, with 160 universities included.
In Nueva Ecija, three higher education institutions appeared in the rankings: Central Luzon State University, Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology, and Wesleyan University-Philippines.
“We shared with the global community how Wesleyan University – Philippines lives out its mission and core values through education, service, and innovation. The Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings recognize and affirm the impact of our work. May this accolade continue to inspire us to build people and transform lives,” underscored Ms. Rio Anne B. Dizon, Director of the Office of Internationalization and Linkages.
The THE Sustainability Impact Ratings assessed universities based on their contributions to the UN SDGs. The rankings evaluated institutional performance across four areas: research, stewardship, outreach, and teaching.
For the 2026 edition, THE stated that the data used generally referred to the academic year closest to January–December 2023.
