The Sy family, through its SM‑group affiliate, is pushing hard to expand National University (NU) across the Philippines. Backed by SM Investments Corp., NU is scaling up not just in student numbers but in physical footprint as well.
Currently, NU is undergoing major expansion in four key campuses: Clark, Mall of Asia (Pasay), Fairview (Quezon City), and its main Sampaloc campus in Manila. At Clark, a new academic tower will house classrooms and labs. In Mall of Asia, they’re adding two floors; Fairview gets a new tower; the Manila campus will build 24 more classrooms, a learning resource center, an auditorium, and more.
Right now, NU has over 83,000 students across 14 campuses — and the goal is to reach 100,000 students by 2027. To support that, the Sy‑led group is eyeing 20 campuses by 2028, including new branches in Davao, Iloilo, and Urdaneta.
In line with this growth, SM Prime plans to build NU campuses in its malls — in some places, on top of mall parking structures. Hans Sy said this makes the school more accessible, and partly lowers costs by using already-owned land.
NU’s expansion also reflects the Sy family’s commitment to education. Under their leadership, NU maintains affordable tuition and open admissions. The Sy family has emphasized that quality education should be available to more Filipinos, especially through accessible campus locations.