Malang, en.SERU.co.id — Universitas Brawijaya (UB) has made a significant leap in the QS World University Rankings 2027, jumping 64 places to rank 616th globally. The rise brings the East Java university closer than ever to the prestigious top 500 worldwide.
The improvement was driven mainly by stronger academic reputation, graduate employability, and greater international diversity among faculty, university officials said.
Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Prof. Imam Santoso described the jump as one of the highest among Indonesia’s state universities with legal entity status (PTNBH). He credited the collective efforts of the entire academic community in boosting research, innovation, scientific publications, and global partnerships.
“This achievement is especially meaningful because not every PTNBH saw an increase. UB recorded the highest rise of up to 64 positions,” Prof. Imam said on Thursday (18/6/2026).
The biggest boost came from academic reputation, where UB surged from 404th to 367th globally. Its score in this category rose from 30.1 to 33.4. Given that academic reputation carries a 30% weight in the QS methodology, the gain had a major impact on UB’s overall standing.
The improvement reflects growing international recognition of the quality of UB’s education, research, and scholarly contributions.
Employer reputation also remained a key strength. UB placed 223rd worldwide with a solid score of 53.3, underscoring that its graduates continue to be highly regarded by employers across industries, government, and professional sectors.
Sharp Rise in International Faculty
UB posted impressive gains in internationalization. In the International Faculty indicator, it climbed 60 spots to 471st, with its score jumping from 35.9 to 49.6. This signals that more foreign academics are now interested in teaching, researching, and collaborating at UB.
Officials hope the trend will lead to more joint publications, internationally oriented curricula, and expanded global research networks.
The university also improved its faculty-student ratio, moving from the 801+ band to 725th globally. UB now has 13.2 faculty members per 100 students, well above the global median of 7.7. This better ratio is expected to enhance teaching quality, academic supervision, and thesis guidance.
Sustainability and Research Gains
Sustainability efforts also contributed to the higher ranking. UB’s score in this area increased from 53.3 to 60.4, lifting its global position from around 636th to 614th.
On the research front, the number of publications tracked by QS grew nearly 10% to 9,259, while citations (excluding self-citations) surged more than 31% to 37,981. Strong performance was seen particularly in Life Sciences and Medicine, Engineering and Technology, and Social Sciences and Management.
However, citations per faculty remains a challenge, with UB still in the 801+ band. Improving publication quality and international impact will be a key focus moving forward.
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Areas for Improvement
While UB now hosts students from at least 57 countries, its international student numbers remain below the global median. The International Research Network indicator also needs strengthening through broader cross-border collaborations.
Employment Outcomes saw a decline, slipping from 567th to 690th, even though graduate absorption reached 94.1%. University leaders said they plan to enhance tracer studies, better document alumni careers, and deepen industry partnerships.
On Track for Top 500
Nationally, UB now sits around eighth among Indonesian universities in the QS rankings and ranks in the top five for both academic reputation and employer reputation.
“The rise to 616th shows we’re getting closer to the global top 500. To reach that target, we will focus on increasing research impact and citations, expanding international networks, attracting more foreign students, and strengthening alumni tracking and contributions,” Prof. Imam said.
The university views the latest ranking as both recognition of progress so far and motivation for continued improvement. (aan/mzm)
