According to the QS World University by Subject ranking result which were released on 8 March 8 2017, UGM has become the best university in Indonesia in four subjects or study programs, they are Engineering – Mineral & Mining, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Geography. Moreover, UGM was also included in the top 500 ranked in the world for three of its subjects and two subject areas.
“The QS by subject ranking, which was released recently, showed UGM as already included for its three subjects and two subject areas,” said the Head of Quality Assurance Office UGM, Prof. Dr. Indra Wijaya Kusuma, M.B.A. on Monday (20/3).
From the 16 subjects and two subject areas which had been evaluated, UGM was included in the top 100 ranked for performing arts, the top 200 ranked for agriculture and forestry, and the top 450 ranked for medicine. UGM was also included in the top 500 ranked for the subject areas of enginering and technology as well as social sciences and management. According to Indra, these results show a significant enhancement compared to the previous year.
“It has increased compared to last year when UGM was not included in the QS ranking by subject,” he added.
QS ranking is based on four main criteria, namely academic reputation, alumni reputation, number of publication citations and H-index (productivity measurement index), and the effects of academicians’ publications. The valuations of academic and alumnae reputations were obtained from surveys which were conducted by universities’ partners such as companies which employ university alumni.
Meanwhile, the citation and H-index value was calculated based on publications in the Scopus database. Publication is one of essential requirements to participate in the ranking in which universities should meet the threshold or minimum number of published papers in the past five years.
Besides performing ranking by subject, QS also conducts a general ranking of universities every year which is usually released in the middle of the year. All this while, according to Indra, UGM has implemented many developments in order to increase Indonesia’s position in the world ranking, such as by supporting lecturers to publish papers as well as improving the ratio between lecturers and students. Therefore, he is optimistic UGM ranking can increase this year.
“UGM hopes there will be many subjects that are included in the ranking in the future. This year’s data have been submitted and the result will be released next year,” said Indra.