UGM’s Faculty of Geography, dedicated to researching sustainable planet issues and global sustainable development goals, has secured 1st place in Indonesia in the 2024 EduRank rankings.
In the field of geography and cartography, UGM’s Faculty of Geography secured first place, followed by IPB and UI in second and third place, respectively.
ITB, Undip, Universitas Brawijaya, ITS, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Universitas Padjadjaran, and Universitas Sebelas Maret took 4th to 10th place.
Responding to this achievement, Dr. Danang Sri Hadmoko, Dean of UGM’s Faculty of Geography, expressed his gratitude, joy, and pride.
According to him, this accomplishment reflects the faculty’s continuous improvement. However, this achievement is a collective effort from all colleagues, including lecturers, staff, students, alumni, and partners.
“We are truly grateful to be an institution that has become a reference at the national level,” he stated on Thursday (Jan. 23).
Dr. Hadmoko also mentioned that the Faculty of Geography continually encourages its lecturers to engage in research collaborations to increase both the productivity and quality of research. He emphasized the importance of building a conducive research environment to achieve this goal.
He further added that this achievement is not considered the final goal but rather a bonus from the long process of the faculty’s tri-dharma (three pillars of higher education) to benefit society, including the central and regional governments, industries, and international partners.
The Faculty of Geography’s current research focuses on global issues with significant impacts, particularly on sustainable planet topics like climate, disasters, land degradation, migration, demographic shifts, resource management, smart cities, regional development, and the emerging trend of artificial intelligence (AI).
Dr. Hadmoko explained that AI supports the faculty’s research through advanced remote sensing technology and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
The research is then divided into several research groups according to the lecturers’ interests, and the Faculty of Geography also incorporates the research into its teaching materials by including numerous use cases related to the latest issues.
Dr. Hadmoko explained that this is done to improve the relevance of teaching materials to the current societal conditions. According to him, the curriculum must be dynamic and adjusted to societal needs.
“Teaching materials will always be valid and up to date when we include many use cases with current issues. So, the concepts developed in the classroom are validated with research data conducted by the lecturers,” he explained.
With this achievement, Dr. Hadmoko is determined to further improve the quality of the Faculty of Geography by implementing an international research network (IRN) to deepen relations with relevant partners both nationally and internationally.
Additionally, he emphasized the importance of improving existing research and publications. According to him, a high-level institution’s reputation is determined by its research’s impact.
“We continue to improve the quality of research, so it has a greater impact on society and industry,” he said.
Moreover, Dr. Hadmoko mentioned that this achievement is also a result of the contribution of alumni who remain connected with the Faculty of Geography.
He views this as a significant strength. Through the alumni network, the faculty collaborates with their workplaces, opening up opportunities for students to intern there.
The Faculty of Geography also supports and encourages its alumni to pursue further studies, both domestically and abroad, by providing recommendations for scholarship applications from various sources.
He also hopes the public will provide input to help the Faculty of Geography grow and improve. He aspires for the faculty to play a greater role in solving societal problems in accordance with its competencies.
“We want to build the widest possible collaborations with our external partners,” he stated.
Author: Leony
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Photographer: Firsto