UMY Solidifies Position as Indonesia's Top Islamic University in QS WUR 2027

Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) has solidified its position as the top Islamic university in Indonesia in the QS World University Rankings (QS WUR) 2027, released today. UMY is the only Muhammadiyah-’Aisyiyah higher education institution (PTMA) and Islamic university to feature in the global ranking. Nationally, UMY placed 14th out of 20 Indonesian universities that made the list, making it the second-best private university in the country and the leading Islamic campus. In the Special Region of Yogyakarta, UMY ranked second only to Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) among three recognised institutions.

Over the past two years, UMY’s score has more than doubled since the 2025 edition, with the largest gains in the International Research Network and Employment Outcomes indicators, both up 100 percent, and Employer Reputation, which rose 83 percent. Rector Prof. Achmad Nurmandi attributed the consistent rise to the leadership’s commitment to improving teaching quality, research innovation and commercialisation, and impactful community service. He noted that this commitment is matched by the awareness and capability of the academic community to meet national and international quality standards.

Under QS WUR methodology, participating institutions must be in the top 20 percent globally for Academic Reputation, have at least 100 Scopus-indexed articles in the past five years, and be listed in the QS regional rankings. Prof. Nurmandi said UMY now aims to break into the world’s top 1,000 universities by further strengthening academic quality and producing graduates relevant to market needs, while expanding collaboration with industry and global partners. Vice Rector for Quality, Reputation and Partnerships, Prof. Slamet Riyadi, added that synergy between units and system integration supports the university’s ability to meet international standards amid fierce global competition, and that UMY is targeting increased international partnerships across other continents. Mega Hidayati, Head of UMY’s Global Planning and Reputation Agency, noted that the number of Indonesian universities in the QS WUR fell from 26 last year to 20 this year, out of 8,804 institutions evaluated from 106 countries, underscoring UMY’s consistent global competitiveness.