Two Indonesian universities have finally broken into the top 100 of the best universities in the world in certain subjects.
The University of Indonesia is ranked 95th in the Social Sciences category of the 2010 QS World University Rankings, one of the leading lists of schools.
Yogyakarta’s Gadjah Mada University (UGM) is the next best Indonesian school in the category, at number 131, followed by the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Surabaya’s Airlangga University, and the University of Brawijaya in Malang.
In the Technology and Engineering category, ITB made it into the top 100, coming in at 93. ITB was also the highest-ranked Indonesian university in the Natural Sciences category, while UI led the others in the Arts and Humanities, as well as Life Sciences and Medicine.
The QS World University Rankings’ subject-based tables are based on an academic survey completed by more than 15,000 academics, including 700 university leaders.
They are asked to identify the universities producing the best research in their own field of knowledge and within their region of expertise.
QS says the overall rankings also take into account employer reputation, research and teaching, and international commitment.
Nunzio Quacquarelli,? the managing director of QS, said the growing number of countries represented in the top 500 list “demonstrates the highly competitive environment of global higher education.”
Harvard University, which topped last year’s rankings, is second this year, pipped by Cambridge, last year’s runner-up.
Yale University is third, while the University College London and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology round out the top five.
(The Jakarta Globe)
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I spent some times to review the QS list. Overall, unfortunately, UI is ranked 236 this year, down from 201 last year, UGM at 321, down from 250, ITB among 401-450, down from 350 last year.
The detail tells more stories. For instance: In Engineering and IT, ITB was at 90 in 2008, 80 in 2009, and 93 this year (worse). UI has managed to improve gradually in social sciences. But, the ranks for fields other than social sciences are in general worsened each year. It seems that in the fields that are not “unique to Indonesia”, they could not compete.
Any way, my experience with this kind of list is not to believe it unless an institution is in overall ranked in Top 50. Beyond this range, the differences from one list to the others are statistically unacceptable. In practice, it often does not reflect the reality, too – things that I often observe. For instance, in 2006, ITB was ranked very close (around 250 according to one list) to a German technical university that I worked for, that has many world’s experts (some are Nobel laureates), and whose publications in highly cited journals are more than ITB by manyfold.
My position is always, that if one finds the rank is very low, he must believe it, and that if the rank is high but not in Top 50, he has to assume that the truth is actually far worse. So, in both cases, keep striving for excellence.
Wow… as an alumni from UI, i was so proud that many universities in Indonesia could make great achievement in a world class award like mentioned above. I hope this success will lead to a better educational system in Indonesia, especially in higher education. so more and more graduates from high school can continue their study in a higher level, although they come from the less financial economy class. Still far away, I know.. but lets grow the optimism inside!
Why didn’t U place IPB (Bogor Agricultural University) one of among them. You have to check the rank out once more !!!
It placed 119 Top 200 Asian Univ. and the 501-550 of top 600. Positioned 5th after UI, UGM, ITB, and Unair. Then followed by UNDIP UNPAD and ITS