10/08/2026
Six Bicol HEIs Make Global Mark in THE Rankings; Four Climb Higher in 2026
LEGAZPI CITY โ Bicol higher education continues to strengthen its global standing as six higher education institutions (HEIs) from the region earned places in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Ratings, with four institutions advancing from their previous ranking bands and two making their debut.
Leading the Bicol contingent are Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA) and Sorsogon State University, both of which reached the 601โ800 global band.
CBSUA improved from 801โ1000 in 2025 to 601โ800 in 2026, while Sorsogon State University made an even bigger leap from 1001โ1500 to 601โ800. THE IR Detailed Results Region 5.pdf
Bicol University and the University of Nueva Caceres (UNC) likewise moved upward, both advancing from the 1501+ band in 2025 to 1001โ1500 in 2026.
Completing the six are Ateneo de Naga University and Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges (CSPC), which successfully entered the rankings for the first time, both landing in the 1001โ1500 band. THE IR Detailed Results Region 5.pdf
The achievement drew commendation from the CHED International Affairs Service (IAS), which formally congratulated CHED Regional Office V and the six Bicol HEIs through a letter dated July 30, 2026, signed by IAS Director IV Christine Nabor-Ferrer, EdD.
In the letter, IAS particularly highlighted the upward movement of the regionโs institutions:
โCHED-IAS warmly congratulates your Regional Office and the six (6) HEIs that successfully entered this yearโs THE Sustainability Impact Ratings. Notably, four (4) of these institutionsโrepresenting 66% of the regionโs ranked HEIsโdemonstrated measurable advancement in their standings and overall performance.โ
The IAS Director further underscored the value of the results beyond international recognition, noting that the performance data can help institutions identify opportunities for further development.
โThese performance insights are intended to support strategic planning, foster continuous quality improvement, and sustain the regionโs upward momentum in international rankings,โ the IAS letter stated.
The detailed results also reveal distinct areas of strength among the participating Bicol institutions.
Sorsogon State University posted particularly strong results in No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Life Below Water, and Partnerships for the Goals, including perfect scores in community anti-poverty programs and supporting aquatic ecosystems through education.
CBSUA, meanwhile, demonstrated a strong agriculture and sustainability profile, including a 99.0 score for the proportion of graduates in agriculture and aquaculture incorporating sustainability aspects. THE IR Detailed Results Region 5.pdf
Bicol University showed notable performance in governance, climate action and SDG education, while Ateneo de Naga University, UNC and CSPC demonstrated emerging strengths in areas such as health, gender equality, employment, workforce conditions and partnerships.
The results mean that all four Bicol HEIs that had previous rankings moved to higher global bands in 2026, while two additional institutions successfully joined the rankingsโgiving the region six internationally recognized HEIs in this yearโs assessment.
For CHED Regional Office V, the feat reflects the increasing capacity of Bicol HEIs to translate instruction, research, extension, institutional governance and community engagement into measurable contributions toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The regional assessment also identifies areas where further work is needed, particularly in Quality Education, health and well-being, SDG-related research, impact measurement, evidence documentation, and sustainability reporting.
With the commendation from CHED-IAS and the upward movement of its participating institutions, Bicol enters the next ranking cycle with both a stronger international presence and a higher benchmark to surpass.
Six Bicol HEIs on the global stage. Four moving higher. Two new entrants. The 2026 results signal a region whose higher education institutions are not only participating in the global sustainability agendaโthey are steadily moving forward.
