Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has re-established its position as a university strongly committed to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This commitment is reflected in the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Rankings 2026, officially announced on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. This year, UGM placed 41st globally among 1,603 universities evaluated, earning an overall score of 93.2 out of 100. As a result, UGM improved by 41 places, rising from 82nd globally in the previous year.
UGM Rector, Professor Ova Emilia, said the achievement represents a significant improvement compared to the previous year, when UGM was ranked 82nd worldwide. UGM’s rise in the rankings was driven by improved performance across nearly all SDG indicators.
“This achievement reflects the strengthening of UGM’s academic reputation as well as its commitment to sustainable development at the international level,” said Professor Ova on Thursday (Jun. 25).
Professor Ova further explained that UGM’s improved position in the THE Sustainability Impact Rankings 2026 was assessed based on the university’s contributions to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), using data collected from university reporting and bibliometric data from Elsevier.
“Participating universities are required to submit data for at least four SDG categories, including SDG 17 as a mandatory component,” she explained.
UGM’s total score for the current year was calculated based on four selected Sustainable Development Goals. Under SDG 1: No Poverty, the university achieved a global rank of 7th out of 931 institutions. For SDG 2: Zero Hunger, UGM was positioned 16th among 731 universities. In the SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure category, it ranked 47th out of 826 institutions. Finally, for the mandatory SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, UGM attained 73rd place out of 1,610 institutions.
In addition to the four SDGs that form the basis of the overall score, several other SDGs demonstrated UGM’s outstanding performance compared with other leading universities. In the Top 50 Global category, UGM ranked 27th for SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and 29th for SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.
Meanwhile, in the Top 100 Global category, UGM ranked 51st for SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, 60th for SDG 4: Quality Education, 86th for SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production, and 90th for SDG 14: Life Below Water.
At the national level, UGM also achieved the highest performance in Indonesia, ranking first in SDG 7 (71), SDG 12 (81.7), and SDG 17 (90.7).
“These achievements demonstrate UGM’s strength as a university that integrates sustainability principles into education, research, community service, and institutional governance,” she stated.
Professor Ova acknowledged that UGM’s rise in the THE Sustainability Impact Rankings further adds to the university’s success in achieving significant ranking improvements in 2026. In the QS World University Rankings (QS WUR) 2027, UGM advanced to 206th globally, up from 224th in the previous edition. Likewise, in the THE Sustainability Impact Rankings 2026, UGM rose to 41st globally, up from 82nd the year before.
Author: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Jasmine Ferdian
Photo: UGM Public Relations Documentation