Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) ranks first among Indonesian universities in 2019, according to Research, Technology, and Higher Education Ministry in terms of community service performance. There are 127 private and state universities, including UGM, joining in the excellent and very good cluster category. Coming in second place is Universitas Diponegoro and third Universitas Padjajaran, followed by Universitas Sebelas Maret and Institut Pertanian Bogor in fourth and fifth place.
“UGM this year has once again ranked first among Indonesian universities based on community service performance, according to Research, Technology, and Higher Education Ministry. This made UGM at the top ranks for two years,” said UGM’s Community Service Director, Prof. Ir. Irfan Dwidya Prijambada, M.Eng., Ph.D., on Monday (11/11) at UGM.
Irfan said the ranking was based on the assessment related to community service performance in the period between 2016-2018. That includes the number of projects that are funded by Community Service Directorate or non-Directorate through cooperation with regional governments, ministries, or private companies. Assessment is also done on the output of community service projects in the form of publication in journals, mass media, video, appropriate technology, patent, etc.
Irfan said this was a great achievement by UGM as it showed the effort made by UGM to develop science, technology and art that are beneficial to society.
One of the projects conducted by UGM is the Student Community Service programme which started in 1971. The students mentor and empower communities through various programmes. Currently, other universities and countries have also participated in the programme with 32 universities from 15 countries taking part in it.
Other forms of community service done by UGM are rural community empowerment, appropriate technology, entrepreneurial capacity enhancement, and MSMEs coaching, problem solving and aid distribution to disaster survivors through Disaster Response Unit (DERU) programme.
Irfan said going forward his office would maximise the projects and increase the publication of community service outcomes so as to inspire the wider public. “We try to always give benefits to society, inspiring many people and being an example to the world,” he concluded.