Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) ranked 21st globally in the 2026 UI GreenMetric Sustainable University Rankings, climbing five places from 26th in 2025. This year’s ranking included 2,016 higher education institutions from 105 countries worldwide. The improved ranking reflects UGM’s consistent efforts to develop sustainable campus management across various areas, from spatial planning and infrastructure to education, research, and conservation.
UGM Vice Rector for Planning, Assets, and Information Systems, Arief Setiawan Budi Nugroho, S.T., M.Eng., Ph.D., said the achievement reflects UGM’s efforts to integrate sustainability principles into campus area management and the implementation of the university’s tridharma.
Arief said sustainable campus development needs support for managing space, infrastructure, and facilities for the university community, as well as sustainable education, research, and conservation programs.
“UGM’s achievement in the 2026 UI GreenMetric ranking demonstrates its commitment to continuously developing a sustainable campus through integrated management of space, infrastructure, education, research, and conservation,” he said on Thursday (8/10).
One of UGM’s notable achievements was in the Spatial Planning and Infrastructure indicator, where it ranked among the top three universities globally. Of UGM’s total area of 29,114,952 sqm, 97.8% is open space. UGM’s campus area management also integrates academic spaces with educational forests, arboretums, and living laboratories, including forest areas that account for 47.81% of the university’s total area. These green spaces support education, research, community service, and environmental conservation.
“The management of the campus area is part of UGM’s efforts to connect the ecological functions of the campus with the university’s tridharma through the development of sustainable infrastructure,” Arief said.
In conservation, UGM has developed several programs at the Wanagama Eco-Edu Forest, Wanagama Nusantara, PIAT, and the main campus area. These programs include karst land rehabilitation, bamboo planting to support water conservation, bee colony development, bird education and research, rainforest restoration using native species, wildlife monitoring through camera traps and soundscape monitoring, and the preservation of genetic resources through the Gene Bank.
UGM’s commitment to sustainability is also reflected in the development of an inclusive campus. UGM provides various facilities for people with disabilities and individuals with special needs. UGM Disability Services Unit supports the university’s efforts to strengthen disability-friendly facilities.
These efforts also support the well-being of the entire academic community by providing health and welfare facilities. These facilities include daycare facilities, the GMC Clinic and UGM Academic Hospital, and the UGM Psychology Consultation Unit.
For security and safety, the Office of Security, Occupational Safety, Emergencies, and Environment (K5L) coordinates campus management, supported by monitoring facilities, a call center, and emergency response services.
The university has implemented rapid-response SOPs under which officers arrive at the location within a maximum of five minutes after an incident report is confirmed. K5L posts are located across various campus clusters and operate 24 hours a day, supported by personnel and fire response stations.
At the national level, UGM maintained its position as Indonesia’s third most sustainable university. UGM also received special recognition as a Sustainable University in Spatial Planning and Infrastructure and as a Sustainable University in Education and Research. Indra said the achievement is part of an ongoing process that must be continuously developed across various aspects of university management.
“This achievement reflects the various efforts that have been undertaken while also serving as a foundation for UGM to continuously improve its sustainability performance in the future,” he concluded.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Zabrina Kumara
Photo: Donnie