By Stewart C. Ocampo

With its forward-thinking development strategies, the Mariano Marcos State University has once again prevailed in the global arena, attaining worldwide recognition in the prestigious World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI).

Established by the Organizing Committee of the Hanseatic League of Universities, the WURI Rankings evaluated the contributions of universities to society based on six criteria: industrial application, entrepreneurial spirit, ethical value, student mobility and openness, crisis management, and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

In the list of top universities under 4IR, MMSU stepped up to rank three in the world this year, from fourth place in 2022. It is ranked second in the Philippines.

Apart from the 4IR criterion, MMSU also entered in the WURI’s Top 50 Universities for two other impact categories: ranking 48th in Entrepreneurial Spirit and 50th in Ethical Value. In the Philippines, the university comes 6th and 12th in the categories, respectively. Overall, MMSU is among the Top 101-200 innovative universities in the world.

In the past years, MMSU was commended for its innovative approach in incorporating 4IR and other technologies in teaching and learning. The university has established the Center for Flexible Learning, and developed the mVLE, a learning management system. It has also been continuously providing state-of-the-art equipment and facilities for faculty and students.

Activities toward the WURI recognition was spearheaded by the International Linkages and Partnerships office headed by Dr. Mee Jay Domingo, in cooperation with the Futures Thinking and Strategic Foresight led by Director Saturnina Nisperos.

The ranking highlights the goal of MMSU to bring development innovations to the society, through the 7-point agenda of University President Shirley C. Agrupis.

Full results of the 2023 real impact rankings can be viewed through the WURI website.

(www.wuri.world/wuri-ranking-2023). (HLY/JVBT, StratCom)