by Sarah Elizabeth Allen
October 24, 2018 marks a great leap for Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology. This year the Institute’s efforts to gain recognition in its academic excellence in the international arena is finally realized through this year’s results of the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2019.
MSU-IIT, an autonomous unit of the MSU System was independently evaluated as a university by the QS and was ranked among the 451-500 top universities in Asia. With the international linkages established by the International Relations Office of the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development of MSU-IIT, the school requested for a QS evaluation as an autonomous university.
“We wanted to know where we are based on the world ranking standard, more specifically by the number one ranking institution, the QS” Chancellor Sukarno Tanggol said, in a brief interview with the OPI after the Rankings came out. “… and gladly we finally made it to the top 500!” he remarked. “I am very happy for IIT being the only university in Mindanao to be recognized by QS, occupying the 7th rank in Top Philippine Universities.”
The QS is the only approved international ranking system by the International Ranking Expert Group. The body evaluates universities all over the globe based on six major criteria namely: Academic Reputation (40%), Employer Reputation (10%), Faculty/Student Ratio (20%), Citations per faculty (20%), International faculty ratio (5%), International Student ratio (5%). The highest weight depends greatly on the academic opinion of over 80, 000 experts around the globe from the higher education space (Topuniversities, 2018 June 6).
For a young institute like MSU-IIT which celebrates its 50th charter anniversary this year, its recognition is a boost to its reputation as a quality university. Most importantly, it sets its identity as one independent unit in the global academic arena.
As the expectations and challenges will rise over the next years, MSU-IIT hopes to continue improving in terms of its performance as an Academe. IIT can now study the QS criteria and continue to enhance its points by increasing IIT’s researches, publications, MOAs, linkages. “IIT should also aspire for more COEs-CODs and that more colleges should achieve AACCUP level 4 accreditation”
Chancellor Tanggol, is up for the challenge. He emphasizes that these triumphs are all due to the efforts of the MSU-IIT community—its cost centers, faculty and students. “Actually, congratulations to you. It’s not entirely my triumph, in fact it is all because of your work and all the other offices’, I just sit here while you are the ones who actually made our university make it to the top!”
Concluding the interview, Chancellor Tanggol leaves a friendly reminder for everyone, “Continue the humility and the work; do not let it go into your head.”
Topics : Quacquarelli Symonds World Rankings top universities IIT Iligan