By Jennielou Pigao & Crisdeniele Clemente

Sustaining its mark of excellence, Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) ranked 107th in the world, and sixth in the Philippines in the 2024 World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) ranking for the Global Top 300 Innovative Universities. MMSU placed third among Philippine state universities.

MMSU was ranked second in the world and first in the Philippines under the Generative AI Application category, in recognition of the university’s innovative approach to incorporating technologies in teaching and learning.

Apart from the General AI Application category, MMSU also entered WURI’s top universities under other impact categories, ranking fourth globally and first in the Philippines for support for global resilience, and placing eighth in the world and second in the Philippines for Industrial Application.

MMSU President Shirley C. Agrupis welcomed the results as she noticed the surge in the number of Philippine universities joining international rankings. “I am glad that with the support of the Commission on Higher Education, led by Prof Popoy De Vera, we have been able to inspire other Philippine HEIs to participate in international rankings,” she said.

The International Linkages and Partnerships office, headed by Dr. Mee Jay Domingo, and Quality Assurance office, led by Prof. Reynold Villacil, spearhead MMSU drive for internationalization. Dr. Lawrence Eclarin, chief for international accreditation, led the university’s WURI application team.

For this year, WURI established a framework that evaluates the contributions of universities to industry and society based on thirteen categories: student support and engagement, student mobility and openness, industrial application, entrepreneur spirit, crisis management, social responsibility, generative AI application, support for global resilience, leadership, funding, infrastructure/technology, symbol/promotion, and culture/values. The Organizing Committee of the Hanseatic League of Universities set these criteria.

In 2021, MMSU debuted in the WURI rankings, with a place in the 101-200 bracket of the Top Global Innovative Universities.