Ateneo de Manila University facts for kids

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Ateneo de Manila University

Pamantasang Ateneo de Manila  (Filipino)
University seal
Latin: Ūniversitās Athēnaea Manīlēnsis
Former names	Escuela Municipal de Manila (1960–1980) Ateneo Municipal de Manila (1865–1909) Ateneo de Manila (1909–1959)
Motto	Lux in Domino
Motto in English	Light in the Lord
Type	Private, research, non-profit, coeducational basic and higher education institution
Established	December 10, 1859 (165 years and 178 days)
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic (Jesuits)
Academic affiliations	ACUCA AJCU-AP AUN PAASCU IAJU JBEC
Chairman	Bernadine T. Siy
President	Fr. Roberto C. Yap, SJ
Academic staff	approx. 2,470
Administrative staff	3,015
Students	15,269 (university level)
Undergraduates	8,614
Postgraduates	6,655
Other students	approx. 6,500 (grade school and high school)
Location	Loyola Heights, Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines Grade School Junior High School Senior High School College School of Government Salcedo Village, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines Rockwell Center, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines School of Law Graduate School of Business Ortigas Center, Pasig, Metro Manila, Philippines School of Medicine and Public Health 14°38′20″N 121°4′40″E / 14.63889°N 121.07778°E / 14.63889; 121.07778
Campus	Urban (main campus) 83 hectares (210 acres)
Newspaper	The Guidon
Colors	Blue and White
Nickname	Blue Eagles
Sporting affiliations	UAAP PVL PFFWL
Mascot	Blue Eagle
Location in Metro Manila Show map of Metro Manila Location in Luzon Show map of Luzon Location in Philippines Show map of Philippines

The Ateneo de Manila University (Filipino: Pamantasang Ateneo de Manila), often called Ateneo, is a private, Catholic university in Quezon City, Philippines. It was started in 1859 by the Jesuits, a religious order. It is one of the oldest Jesuit schools in the Asia-Pacific region.

Ateneo is known as one of the best universities in the Philippines. It offers education from elementary school all the way to university degrees. Students can study subjects like arts, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and business. The university also has special schools for law, government, medicine, and business. Ateneo is famous for its Jesuit liberal arts education, which means it focuses on a wide range of subjects to help students think critically.

History of Ateneo de Manila University

After the Jesuits returned to the Philippines in the 1800s, they took over a small school in Manila. They renamed it the Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1859. The school was first located in the Intramuros area. In 1932, a fire destroyed the campus, so it moved to Ermita.

During the Battle of Manila in 1945, the Ermita campus was also destroyed. After World War II, the school slowly moved to its current main location in Loyola Heights, Quezon City. The old Ermita site was later sold and is now a shopping mall.

In 1969, Fr. Pacifico Ortiz, SJ, became the first Filipino president of Ateneo. In 1973, Ateneo college welcomed its first female students. Over the years, different parts of the university moved to new locations. For example, the business and law schools moved to Makati in 1977. In 1978, Ateneo also opened a computer technology center.

During the 1970s, students became very active in social movements. Ateneans joined many Filipinos in the People Power Revolution in 1986. This event helped bring about big changes in the country.

In 1991, the Ateneo School of Law was the first in the Philippines to offer the Juris Doctor degree. The Ateneo School of Government started in 1996. In 1998, a new campus opened in Rockwell Center for the business, law, and government schools. The Church of the Gesù was finished on the Loyola Heights campus in 2002. Ateneo also started working with Gawad Kalinga in 2003, a program to help build communities.

In 2007, the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health opened in Ortigas Center, Pasig. In 2008, new library and dormitory buildings were started. In 2022, an incident occurred that led to the cancellation of the law school's graduation. Later in 2022, Ateneo began to combine its different higher education schools into one main group.

Ateneo Campuses

Ateneo de Manila has several campuses. The main campus is in Loyola Heights, Quezon City. This campus has the college, grade school, and high schools. There are also campuses in Rockwell Center and Salcedo Village in Makati, which house the business and law graduate schools. A fourth campus in Ortigas Center, Pasig, is home to the school of medicine and public health.

Loyola Heights Campus

Aerial view of the Loyola Heights campus

The main campus in Loyola Heights is about 83 hectares (205 acres). It is located next to Miriam College. This campus has the Grade School, High School, and College. It also has the Henry Lee Irwin Theater for events and performances.

The campus has modern buildings like the Science Education Complex and the John Gokongwei School of Management Complex. In 2018, Ateneo opened the Areté, a "creative hub" for arts. The Areté includes the Ateneo Art Gallery, a large theater, and spaces for art and learning programs.

The Rizal Library, the main university library, is also on this campus. Many research centers are located here, focusing on topics like social issues and Philippine culture. The campus also hosts the East Asian Pastoral Institute, Loyola School of Theology, and San Jose Seminary. Scientific research institutions like the Philippine Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry and the Manila Observatory are also found here.

For sports, the campus has the Blue Eagle Gym and the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center. These facilities are used by Ateneo's sports teams and even by national sports teams.

The Church of the Gesù, finished in 2002, stands on Sacred Heart Hill. There are also several smaller chapels around the campus. Ateneo de Manila is home to the largest group of Jesuits in the Philippines.

In 2013, Ateneo started the Ateneo Institute of Sustainability to help with eco-friendly projects. In 2014, Ateneo was the first school in the Philippines to use an electric jeepney shuttle system on its campus.

Satellite Campuses

Atrium of the Ateneo School of Law

The Rockwell Center campus in Makati houses the School of Law, Graduate School of Business, and other learning centers. It has research facilities and a special room for practicing court cases.

The Salcedo Village campus in Makati also has facilities for continuing education. This location used to house the professional schools before the Rockwell campus was built.

The Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH) is located in Ortigas Center, Pasig. It opened in 2007 and is next to its partner hospital, The Medical City.

Ateneo Blue Cloud

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, Ateneo launched the Ateneo Blue Cloud. This is an online platform for learning. It acts as a "virtual campus" where students can access learning materials. It supports online, mixed, and in-person learning programs.

How Ateneo is Organized

Xavier Hall, the main administration building.

Ateneo de Manila University is managed by a board of trustees. The university president, Fr. Roberto C. Yap, leads the main administration. They handle things like academics, international programs, and student services.

The Philippine Commission on Higher Education (CHED) has given Ateneo "autonomous status" since 2001. This means Ateneo has more freedom to create new programs. Many of Ateneo's programs are recognized as "Centers of Excellence" or "Centers of Development" by CHED.

The university has twelve schools, divided into two main groups: higher education and basic education. Each group is led by a vice president. Each school has its own leader, like a principal or a dean.

Higher Education

Ateneo's higher education unit has nine schools. These include schools for Humanities, Management, Science and Engineering, Social Sciences, and Education. There are also graduate schools for Business, Law, Medicine and Public Health, and Government. These schools offer various degrees, including master's and doctoral programs.

Basic Education

The Chapel of The Holy Guardian Angel and a statue of Saint Ignatius of Loyola at the Ateneo de Manila Grade School

Hallway at the Ateneo de Manila Grade School

The Ateneo de Manila Grade School (AGS) is the elementary school unit. It is the oldest part of Ateneo, starting as a primary school during the Spanish colonial period. It used to be an all-boys school but started accepting girls in the 2024-25 school year. It has about 4,000 students. The school adopted the K-12 program in 2013 and uses the Singapore math curriculum.

The Ateneo de Manila Junior High School (AJHS) is for male students in seventh to tenth grade. It was created in 2013 to fit the K-12 education system. It uses the old Ateneo de Manila High School campus.

The Ateneo de Manila Senior High School (ASHS) is for students in eleventh and twelfth grade. It also started in 2013 as part of the K-12 program. Since 2016, the ASHS has accepted female students. It offers all four academic tracks of the K-12 program. The ASHS uses a new senior high school building.

Loyola School of Theology

The Loyola School of Theology is a Jesuit school for theology and pastoral studies. It is connected to Ateneo de Manila University but run separately. It offers degrees in theology and pastoral ministry. It also supports theology programs at Ateneo's School of Humanities.

Academics at Ateneo

Ateneo offers education at all levels: primary, secondary, undergraduate, and graduate. It is a research university with many different degree programs. It also offers joint degree programs with other universities. Each school has its own admissions process.

Most classes are taught in English, with some in Filipino. Besides teaching and research, Ateneo also does a lot of social outreach.

A key part of Ateneo's college education is a core curriculum. All college students must take classes in philosophy, literature, theology, history, and social sciences. They also do community service. Classes are usually small, with fewer than 40 students, and students are encouraged to discuss ideas.

Reputation and Rankings

Ateneo is known as one of the most respected universities in the Philippines. In 2023, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings ranked Ateneo as the top university in the Philippines. It was placed among the top 351–400 universities globally and 84th in Asia. As of 2025, it is ranked 1001–1200 globally and 401–500 in Asia.

The QS World University Rankings ranked Ateneo second among all universities in the Philippines. As of 2025, it is ranked 516th globally and 137th in Asia. Ateneo has been included in the QS rankings since 2005.

The CHED has named Ateneo with 11 Centers of Excellence. These are in fields like Information Technology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, English Literature, and Psychology. It also has 6 Centers of Development in areas like Environmental Science and Communication.

In 2005, Ateneo's academic programs received Level IV accreditation, which is the highest level. This was given by the Federation of Accrediting Agencies of the Philippines (FAAP) and the Philippine Accrediting Association of Schools, Colleges and Universities (PAASCU).

Graduate School Rankings

The Ateneo de Manila School of Law is often ranked as a top law school. It has a high passing rate for students taking the Bar Examinations for the first time.

The Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health was ranked the best medical school in the Philippines in 2019. All of its examinees passed the Philippine Physician Licensure Examination that year.

The Ateneo School of Government is recognized as one of the top public policy schools in Asia-Pacific.

Eduniversal ranked the Ateneo Graduate School of Business as one of the top business schools in the country in 2021.

Research Centers and Units

Ateneo de Manila has many research centers. They focus on topics like disaster risk reduction, public education, and how people move from one place to another. The university works with many partners, including businesses and government groups.

Social Initiatives

Ateneo is very involved in helping the community. Social engagement is a big part of its education. Many programs include Social entrepreneurship, which means using business ideas to solve social problems.

Ateneo has projects like the Ateneo-Mangyan Project to help the Mangyan indigenous group. There are also programs like Bigay Puso and the Christian Service and Involvement Program for younger students. For older students, there's the Damay Immersion and Tulong Dunong program. College students can join programs like building houses with Gawad Kalinga.

The main social program of the university is its partnership with Gawad Kalinga. They have helped build communities and schools in places like Payatas, Quezon City. They also helped with recovery efforts after typhoons and landslides.

International Collaboration

Ateneo works with many universities and organizations around the world. These partnerships allow professors and researchers to visit other countries. Ateneo also hosts visiting faculty and researchers. Students can also join student exchange programs.

Since 2008, Ateneo has been part of the Global Leadership Program. This program is for students from other Catholic Jesuit universities in East Asia. These include Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan, Sogang University in South Korea, and Sophia University in Japan.

Ateneo has also partnered with international schools to offer special degree programs. For example, it teamed up with Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou to create a Confucius Institute. This institute teaches Mandarin Chinese. Ateneo also works with Queen Mary University of London for a double master's degree. The School of Management partnered with the French culinary school Le Cordon Bleu.

Ateneo has also worked with the Nippon Foundation and the University for Peace (UPEACE) in Costa Rica. They offer the Asian Peacebuilders Scholarship program. Students in this program learn to become peacebuilding experts.

Libraries and Museum

Ateneo de Manila University has several libraries. The biggest is the Rizal Library, located on the Loyola Heights campus.

The Rizal Library has an Old Rizal Library and a New Rizal Library. The New Rizal Library, a five-story building, opened in 2009. It holds many of the library's main collections.

Ateneo Art Gallery

The Ateneo Art Gallery is located in the Areté building. It showcases various art collections.

University Archives

The University Archives are found in the Old Rizal Library annex building, also known as Faber Hall. They keep important historical documents of the university.

Student Life

Housing

Ateneo de Manila University has several student dormitories. These include Cervini Hall, Eliazo Hall, the University Dormitory (North and South Towers), and the International Residence Hall.

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  International Residence Hall

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  Cervini Hall houses male freshmen students and athletes

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  Eliazo Hall houses male freshmen students and athletes

Student Organizations

The Ateneo Debate Society is the top-ranked debate team in the Philippines and Asia. They have been in the top 15 of the World University Debate Rankings since the mid-2000s. In 2023, they won their first World Universities Debating Championship title in Madrid, Spain. This was the first time a Philippine university won this big international tournament.

The Ateneo College Glee Club (ACGC) is the oldest university choir in the Philippines. They have performed in many international choir competitions.

The Ateneo de Manila High School's Dulaang Sibol is the oldest theater group in the Philippines. It started in 1955.

Notable Alumni

See Also

In Spanish: Universidad Ateneo de Manila para niños

• De La Salle University – Ateneo de Manila University's major college rival
  • Ateneo–La Salle rivalry
• Ignatius of Loyola
• List of colleges and universities in Metro Manila
• List of Jesuit educational institutions in the Philippines
• List of Jesuit sites
• Society of Jesus

Images for kids

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  The Philippine Institute of Pure and Applied Chemistry

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  The Eugenio Lopez Jr. Center for Multimedia Communication