The World’s Universities with Real Impact (WURI) has ranked the UGM Faculty of Dentistry (FKG UGM) among the top 50 in the world in their recent release on Friday (Jun 7).
Responding to the Global Top 100 Innovative Universities at the WURI Ranking 2024, the Dean of FKG UGM, Professor Suryono, expressed joy and gratitude for FKG UGM’s debut in breaking into the world’s top 50 for impactful innovation.
“This ranking result demonstrates our strength in innovation recognized externally, making it an extraordinary achievement to be among the top 100 globally,” said Dean Suryono on Sunday (Jun 9).
According to Dean Suryono, UGM and FKG UGM’s inclusion in the list of top 100 universities worldwide is due to their impactful innovations in community service activities, which are part of the university’s tri-dharma mission, which many large universities abroad lack.
“Many institutions rely solely on education and research and excel in those areas, so we decided to compete in areas related to community service, entrepreneurship, ethics, openness, and social responsibility,” the dean explained.
The ranking evaluates higher education institutions’ tangible contributions to industry and society, highlighting innovative education, research, and community engagement. FKG UGM surpassed several prestigious universities worldwide in various categories.
In the category of entrepreneurial spirit development, FKG UGM ranked 6th globally, surpassing Harvard University’s dentistry field at 12th and the University of Oxford at 13th among 100 global universities in this category.
“This achievement underscores FKG UGM’s success in preparing its graduates to be innovative and solution-oriented professionals. One notable innovation is mentoring, which continues until students graduate and their ventures evolve into MSMEs providing dental merchandise,” Dean Suryono explained.
FKG UGM ranked 9th globally in the social responsibility indicator, surpassing New York University at 12th. This ranking highlights the FKG UGM’s significant societal role through dental education and services.
According to Dean Suryono, FKG UGM’s regular community service activities include comprehensive care for cleft lip patients, collaborating with alumni, the professional association PDGI, BAZNAS, hospitals, and the Senyum Nusantara Foundation.
Dean Suryono said that comprehensive cleft lip surgeries and care aim to improve the quality of life for patients, giving them hope to become outstanding members of Indonesian society.
“This service continues periodically thanks to good cooperation with our partners,” he stated.
Additionally, FKG UGM runs other community service programs, such as dental health education.
“We consistently support government programs to improve the dental health of the Indonesian population, which is still below international standards,” he elaborated.
For the student mobility and openness indicator, FKG UGM ranked 27th globally, surpassing Tokyo International University at 38th. Dean Suryono attributed this success to the faculty’s efforts to build international networks and provide its students with global experiences.
He explained that FKG UGM’s summer course program involves ten co-organizers and sister schools abroad, with a concept of shared responsibilities and achievements.
“Through this program, students continue to communicate with their peers abroad. I envision that in 10-15 years, they will all be key figures in the dental field in their respective countries,” he said.
Vice-Rector for Education and Teaching at UGM, Professor Wening Udasmoro, praised FKG UGM’s entry into the world’s top 100 universities. According to the vice-rector, WURI evaluates universities based on the tangible impact of their innovations beyond conventional academic metrics.
“This impressive debut indicates that dental education in Indonesia, particularly at UGM, has reached world-class standards in innovation, social responsibility, and global openness,” Professor Udasmoro stated.
She emphasized that this outstanding debut has placed FKG UGM as an innovative dentistry school on the global map.
“Along its journey of excellence, this faculty sets new benchmarks for dental education and research in Indonesia and beyond,” Professor Udasmoro concluded.
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Photographer: Donnie