Tarlac State University gave credit to the workforce behind its recent international rankings with an awarding ceremony held this morning (August 5) at the Engineering AVR.
Earlier this year, TSU improved its performance in the World University Rankings for Innovation 2025, moving up from 279th in 2024 to 256th this year, and the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2025, ranking up through the individual SDG submissions.
Program champions, project leaders, and committee members for both WURI 2025 and THE Impact Rankings 2025 were recognized with certificates and tokens, showing gratitude to the effort poured into the preparation of entries and data.
“Committee heads and members are motivated to put in even greater effort when their contributions receive acknowledgment. Performing individuals who receive recognition stand out for their hard work and inspire others to do the same,” TSU President Dr. Arnold E. Velasco said through an inspirational message.
“So, this is our simple way of saying thank you to all our innovators at Tarlac State University,” Office of Quality Assurance Director Dr. Niño B. Corpuz added.
In his statement of purpose, the QA Director shared the three reasons for the activity, namely quality, significance, and innovation.
“TSU is always complying with national and international standards. We even exceeded minimum requirements. And TSU will always make sure that we comply with these requirements and prerequisites for quality…We always sustain quality kaya nandito tayo, kasama kayo sa quality culture ng TSU,” Dr. Corpuz said.
“Another reason why we are here is about significance. Significance can be equivalent to reputation, and reputation can establish our significance as an institution. We always make sure that we give relevant services to our clienteles,” he added.
Dr. Corpuz also underscored innovation and its byproduct, the awards received by the university.
“Of course, another reason why we are here is innovation, pero dapat we go beyond rankings. Rankings, awards—these are just bonuses na lang. We (must) make sure that we always innovate in our own systems and processes,” Dr. Corpuz said.
In the WURI 2025 performance of TSU, the “Katatagan Plus: A Resilience-Building Mental Health Program for Youth” entry under A1 (Student Support and Engagement) placed 43rd out of the top 100 entries amidst 541 global entries.
Aside from Katatagan Plus, TSU submitted five other entries under A1, which were also awarded certificates.
Moreover, “WESSA: Work Ethics and Safe Spaces Act” emerged as rank 19 among the top 87 entries in A6 (Ethics and Integrity). The total global entries are 261, including one more entry from TSU.
Under B3 (ESG Trend), the sole entry of the university, “Project START: Sustainable Training Assistance and Revitalized Teaching,” ranked 20th in the top 47, with a total of 193 global entries.
Meanwhile, THE Impact Rankings committee members of TSU were assigned one SDG entry each and worked with the available data in 2023 from the university repository and online platforms. All entries marked significant improvements in various parameters.
The awarding ceremony also served as an avenue to discuss empirical data from the international rankings to fuel the university’s strategic directions.
Furthermore, Dr. Corpuz endeavored to invite some members of the university’s Board of Regents, who are mostly internally affiliated with TSU, to seek their “usual and strong” support for the university’s quality journey. Hon. Cherie Lyn F. Onia, TSU Non-Academic Staff Association President, was the only regent who witnessed the activity.
Photo: Jodie Andrea G. Pangilinan
