UII Rector Aims for Zero-Year Graduate Waiting Period
The Rector of Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII), Prof. Hari Purnomo, has revealed his ambition to establish the institution as the best private university in Indonesia. Having recently been inaugurated as Rector for the 2026-2030 period, Hari expressed his hope that UII graduates will be fully prepared for the workforce immediately upon graduation.
“A good higher education institution is one where students have a zero-year waiting period, meaning they go straight into work after graduating,” Hari stated during a media briefing in Sleman, Yogyakarta, on Wednesday (29/7/2026).
He noted that currently, only a portion of UII graduates achieve a zero-year waiting period. Under his leadership, he aims to ensure that no graduate has to wait months to enter the professional world. To achieve this, students are expected to go beyond merely pursuing degrees and high GPAs, focusing instead on developing superior competencies. UII is committed to providing the necessary space for students to develop their full potential.
Hari is confident that with the support of over 130,000 alumni spread across Indonesia and abroad, UII will remain competitive. “With the contribution of our alumni, I am certain we can compete with other universities,” he said.
Addressing the presence of foreign campuses in Indonesia, the former Dean of the Faculty of Industrial Technology (2018-2026) highlighted concerns regarding fairness, noting that foreign institutions often do not follow national accreditation processes. He argued that these campuses may not maintain the same quality standards as their home institutions and urged the government to re-evaluate policies regarding the establishment of foreign universities in Indonesia.
“We have continuously voiced this to the government. In our view, a good university is one that always maintains its quality. If these foreign campuses do not participate in national accreditation, how can they ensure quality?” Hari remarked.
Regarding UII’s recent achievements, Hari noted that the university is ranked in the 401–600 bracket globally in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2026, reflecting its commitment to Sustainable Development Goals. In the realm of research and innovation, UII has launched the HKI Corner to assist the academic community with intellectual property and patent management. Furthermore, three UII lecturers were recognised in the World’s Top 5% Scientists by the SciRank Global Registry 2025.
In terms of regional partnerships, UII is strengthening collaborations with the local governments of Sleman, Temanggung, and Pekalongan, while exploring strategic partnerships with Ngawi and Bantul. The university aims to ensure that these collaborations result in concrete programmes that address regional development needs and provide tangible benefits to society.