By Dhel Sue Cabiara
Trails behind other listed Dgte unis
Silliman University (SU) attributed its 205th overall placement in the 2025 World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) to its free computer education program for senior citizens and other digital initiatives.
The program, which started in January 2019, offers computer and internet fundamentals for senior citizens and retirees, office productivity tools for employees, and image and video editing courses for students.
SU also earned the 70th spot in the “Ethics and Integrity” category for its integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into its educational framework, marking first among Dumaguete universities.
The Dr. Mariano C. Lao Global Studies Center (GSC) previously designed its “Gen-AI Integration Framework in Teaching, Learning, and Operations” to embrace digital transformation that “leads to a multitude of innovations.”
It includes faculty and student training, clear ethical guidelines, and community outreach on the use of AI.
GSC Director Dr. Dave Marcial said that its initiatives aim to a “future-proof” SU and ensure its relevance in the “AI-driven knowledge” economy.
He furthered that the recognition is a testament to “what collaborative effort can achieve, fueled by a shared love and commitment to Silliman.”
“I am equally thankful to our dedicated team at the GSC and other units in the university, especially the College of Computer Studies and the Technology Business Incubation,” Marcial said.
In last year’s edition of WURI, the university also made its opening entry at 72nd place in the “Social Responsibility” category through its program on fighting information disorder on social media.
Titled “Development of an Open Courseware with Animation & Gamification on Fighting Information Disorder on Social Media,” the program includes a Moodle-based online courseware that tackles responsible social media use.
SU trails behind NORSU, SPUD
However, the recent rankings showed that SU ran shortly behind Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) and St. Paul University – Dumaguete (SPUD) which placed 167th and 189th overall, respectively.
NORSU stood at top 10 in “Infrastructure/Technology,” top 17 in “Funding for Sustainability,” and top 20 in “Ethics and Integrity.”
Meanwhile, SPUD ranked 17th in “Empowerment-based Management,” top 50 in “University Brand and Management,” and top 51 in “Technology Development and Application.”
The universities were recognized during the 5th Hanseatic League of Universities annual conference at the SU Luce Auditorium last July 9 to 11.
WURI is a global ranking system that assesses higher education institutions’ real contributions to industry and society, highlighting education, research, and engagement using its 16 categories.
Other indicators in the ranking include “Student Support and Engagement,” “Student Mobility and Openness,” “Industrial Application,” and ”Visionary Leadership.”
