UI GreenMetric Sustainable University Rankings Invited to Participate in Higher Education Discussion on Advancing Toward World Class Universities to Strengthen Global Competitiveness
The UI GreenMetric Sustainable University Rankings was honored to be invited to contribute to the Higher Education Discussion towards World Class Universities (WCU), organized by the Kementerian Pendidikan Tinggi, Sains, dan Teknologi Republik Indonesia (Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia) on 13 February 2026 at the Ministry’s headquarters. The forum served as a strategic platform for policymakers, academic leaders, and institutional stakeholders to align perspectives and formulate actionable strategies aimed at accelerating the transformation of Indonesia’s higher education sector into a globally competitive, innovative, and sustainability-oriented ecosystem.
For UI GreenMetric, this engagement represented an important opportunity to contribute its sustainability-based framework and global benchmarking expertise to the national discourse, while reinforcing the integration of environmental stewardship, good governance, and sustainable practices as key pillars in advancing Indonesian universities toward World Class University standards.
In his opening remarks, Prof. Dr. Mukhamad Najib, S.TP., M.M., Director of Institutional Affairs, emphasized that the pursuit of World Class University status should not be reduced to international rankings alone. Rather, universities must be positioned as strategic national assets capable of attracting global talent, strengthening intellectual capital, generating economic value, and serving as long-term investments for national development. He underscored that higher education should be viewed not merely as a public expenditure, but as a sustainable revenue driver and a catalyst for innovation and competitiveness.
He further highlighted the importance of leveraging Indonesia’s unique strengths and knowledge traditions, noting that “In fact, there is a great deal of knowledge that can serve as an attraction as Indonesia’s local wisdom, such as our social sciences.” He added that universities must enhance both quality and global visibility so that campuses evolve beyond economic engines, stating that they should “Not only becoming an engine of the economy, but also becoming an engine of civilization and contributing knowledge to the world.”
The discussion featured a keynote presentation by Dato’ Seri Ir. Dr. Zaini Ujang, Chairman of the Malaysian Qualifications Agency. He is a distinguished environmental engineer, academic leader, and recipient of the prestigious Anugerah Merdeka. Drawing on Malaysia’s reform experience, he highlighted that achieving WCU status requires a clear national framework supported by measurable targets, strong and visionary leadership, effective governance, competitive remuneration systems, and consistent performance tracking.
He stressed the importance of institutional clarity and disciplined execution, asserting that “Universities must be very clear about the targets and deliverables they aim to achieve in a focused and measurable manner.” Furthermore, he explained that rankings, when strategically utilized, function as instruments for global visibility and international positioning, describing them as “a ‘marketing exercise’. If our system meets global standards, the world will recognize and trust our quality.”
Dr. Zaini Ujang also stressed the importance of professionalizing the higher education sector through clearly defined academic career pathways research, teaching, or hybrid, allowing faculty members to specialize and excel. He advocated for high-impact and highly cited research outputs, robust research and development infrastructure, and close collaboration with industry to ensure that universities remain relevant to labor market needs. According to him, strong universities not only elevate academic standards but also help retain domestic talent, reduce capital outflow for overseas study, and attract foreign investment and global partnerships.
Representing UI GreenMetric, Dr. Vishnu Juwono delivered a presentation on the strategic contribution of sustainability metrics to institutional excellence. He emphasized that UI GreenMetric has evolved beyond a conventional ranking system into a global movement that fosters a culture of environmental responsibility, data-driven governance, and continuous improvement. By integrating sustainability principles into institutional management, universities can strengthen both their global reputation and their societal impact.
As a global sustainability ranking, UI GreenMetric evaluates universities across seven ght key criteria, including setting and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste, water, transportation, education and research, and governance and digitalization. This comprehensive framework enables institutions to measure performance, benchmark progress systematically, and embed sustainability into academic and operational practices. The approach reflects the growing international consensus that universities of the future must demonstrate not only academic excellence, but also environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
Through its participation in this national dialogue, UI GreenMetric reaffirms its commitment to supporting Indonesia’s higher education institutions in achieving global standards of quality, resilience, and sustainability. The discussion marked an important step toward strengthening collaboration among government, academia, and industry to build universities that are competitive, impactful, and capable of leading the nation in addressing both present and future global challenges.