Legazpi city: The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) 5 in Bicol has urged higher education institutions (HEIs) in the region to actively participate in international rankings, aiming to bolster institutional quality, innovation, sustainability, and global competitiveness.
According to Philippines News Agency, CHED-5 Regional Director Demetrio Anduyan Jr. emphasized the importance of international rankings such as the World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) and Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings. He noted that these platforms should be viewed not just as avenues for recognition but as tools for benchmarking and enhancing institutional performance. "We are encouraging participation not simply for the rankings or recognition. We see international rankings as useful instruments for benchmarking and institutional improvement," Anduyan stated in a recent interview.
Anduyan explained that WURI allows institutions to evaluate the innovativeness and responsiveness of their programs, while THE Impact Rankings offer a measure of how HEIs contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). "Through these platforms, HEIs can compare themselves against international standards, identify strengths and gaps, and continuously improve," he added.
The ultimate aim of internationalization, Anduyan mentioned, is to benefit students and communities by developing globally competitive institutions that offer enhanced education, robust research and innovation, broader student opportunities, and a stronger social impact. He noted that currently, 15 Bicol HEIs are participating in WURI, and six have been included in the 2026 THE Impact Rankings, with some showing improvement and others entering the rankings for the first time.
Following a mentoring program, CHED anticipates that participating institutions will adopt a more impact-oriented approach, moving away from activity-focused strategies. "We want to see a change in mindset, from being activity-oriented to becoming impact-oriented," Anduyan remarked, suggesting that institutions should report on issues addressed, beneficiaries reached, changes made, sustainability, and evidence of impact.
CHED-5 has developed BRIDGE (Benchmarking and Reporting Institutional Development for Global Engagement), a local system to map and document SDG-related initiatives, research, extension activities, and academic programs of Bicol HEIs. "RISE Academy provides the mentoring; BRIDGE helps us map and understand where our institutions are strong and where improvement is needed," Anduyan explained.
He also identified key areas for Bicol HEIs to enhance their reputation, including agriculture, food security, climate resilience, disaster preparedness, marine sustainability, renewable energy, poverty reduction, community development, health, education, entrepreneurship, cultural heritage, and local innovation. "Bicol has a very rich environment for developing globally relevant solutions because many of the challenges confronting our communities are also global challenges," he concluded.
Anduyan highlighted that the region's recent THE results already showcase the diverse strengths of its higher education institutions, with contributions in agriculture, sustainability, poverty reduction, food security, marine ecosystems, governance, climate action, health, gender, and partnerships.
