PANABO CITY – Davao del Norte State College, through the facilitation of its Quality Assurance Division and the collective efforts of the task forces for each case, submitted programs and institutional practices that secured placements in the Top 100 Universities and Colleges of the 2026 World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI).
Among DNSC’s notable placements was Rank 38 in Category C7 (University-based Entrepreneurial Projects), followed by Rank 43 in B3 (Digital and AI Transformation in Strategy and Management). The College likewise attained Rank 64 in B8 (University Brand and Reputation), Rank 67 in C5 (Social Impact through Knowledge Transfer), Rank 76 in A1 (Student Support and Engagement), and Rank 99 in C6 (Inclusive Social Innovation for the Underserved).
The recognition is a testament to DNSC’s willingness to evaluate and advance the innovation, relevance, and societal impact of its programs, particularly those that directly engage students, communities, and partner sectors.
Unlike conventional university rankings that mainly focus on academic performance, WURI assesses higher education institutions based on their concrete contributions to industry and society. The ranking system also places significant on social responsibility, ethics, integrity, and practical impact alongside academic knowledge and technical competence.
Through its peer-evaluation mechanism, participating universities are encouraged to assess one another, fostering mutual learning and the exchange of best practices among institutions across the globe. The peer evaluation is followed by a second layer of assessment involving expert evaluators who review the submitted cases.
For 2026, WURI further broadened its framework by introducing a third innovation axis, “What to Innovate”. This new dimension complements the existing pillars, “For Whom is the Innovation?” and “How to Innovate?”, while expanding the traditional university functions of research, instruction, and extension through the inclusion of a fourth domain: commercialization.
The ranking system presently covers 24 categories anchored on this three-dimensional framework, recognizing not only technological and organizational advancements but also the narratives behind them. WURI’s storytelling approach highlights the motivations behind each innovation, the individuals and groups who championed the initiative, and the measurable changes produced in society.
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