The Times Higher Education (THE) recently released 1,000 best universities in the world which ranks Universitas Gadjah Mada, Institut Teknologi Bandung, and Universitas Indonesia in the same category, which is between 801-1000 ranking.
“This is obviously an achievement for us, especially that this is the first year ever we joined a ranking by THE. The other Indonesian universities, ITB and UI, are also in the same ranks,” said Head of UGM Quality Assurance Office, Prof. Indra Wijaya Kusuma, on Friday (8/9).
Indra explained THE is one of three world rankings. UGM had not participated in it before.
“We started to join them this year on the request of Research, Technology and Higher Learning Ministry, while ther universities have joined them. The target for now is to get into top 1,000,” he said.
Meanwhile, Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking has ranked UGM at 402 in the world. According to Indra, the different ranking is due to different indicators that are used.
“The criteria are different, and methods are different, too. So, they are incomparable. QS works on surveys, THE on surveys, too, but not much emphasised,” he explained.
THE uses five indicators, namely learning, research, citation, industrial input, and international view. Of these indicators, UGM’s highest score is obtained from industrial input with 60.6.
The ranking done by THE, QS and others of UGM became the international recognition of the quality of education, research, and community service offered by UGM. Indra said the international recognition is the fruit of hard work of all UGM elements that always try to give best services.
The current achievement is the fruit of the consistent effort that has been done since 2015. He emphasised the efforts made by UGM are not just to achieve a high ranking but for internal improvements and encouragement for UGM academic community to always improve themselves.
“We don’t do this for ranking only, but for the good of UGM and how UGM could benefit the society better,” he said.
The efforts that have been done in the past years, said Indra, would be done consistently. Going forward, UGM targets to level up in the THE ranking, which is the 600-800 ranking in the world.
“The next target is to level up to the 600-800 ranking, maybe in the next two years. We will increase internationalisation, research, publication, and data of industrial outcomes,” Indra concluded.