UNU Jogja Ranks 303rd Globally, Enters Top 100 Across 11 Innovative Programs in The World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) 2026

Yogyakarta - Universitas Nahdlatul Ulama Yogyakarta (UNU Jogja) has once again secured global recognition in the prestigious world innovative campus rankings, The World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI) 2026. In its second year of participation, UNU Jogja recorded a significant leap from its previous rank of 375th in 2025.

This year, UNU Jogja is placed 303rd globally as one of the most innovative universities among hundreds of higher education institutions worldwide. This position was achieved based on the cumulative assessment and ranking across 24 innovation categories. Out of these, a number of UNU Jogja's innovative programs successfully broke into the prestigious top tiers in 11 categories.

The rankings and innovative programs in each category include:

• Rank 6 in the “Digital and AI Transformation in Strategy and Management” category for the “Smart Campus & Digital - AI Governance Transformation” program via the Green Team application.
• Rank 16 in the “SDG and ESG-Based Responses to Past and Present Global Challenges” category for the Decarbonomic Center, a research center established by UNU Jogja focusing on ecological studies.
• Rank 24 in the “Inclusive Social Innovation for the Underserved” category for the “No One Left Behind” program, which provides higher education access for physically and economically vulnerable students.
• Rank 29 in the “Visionary Leadership” category for the Professional Hub Transformation Program (PHTP), an institutional governance and transformation strategy developed by UNU Jogja.
• Rank 37 in the “Social Impact through Knowledge Transfer” category for the development of fishery-based smart farming at the Lintang Songo Islamic Boarding School (Pesantren), Bantul.
• Rank 38 in the “Student Mobility and Openness” category for the student capacity building program in interfaith dialogue.
• Rank 45 in the “Future-Oriented Response to Global Uncertainty and Geopolitical” category for the establishment of the Mohammed Bin Zayed College for Future Studies (MBZ CFS) graduate school.
• Rank 55 in the “Crisis Management” category for the development of an IoT-based smart irrigation system in Pagergunung Hamlet, Bantul.
• Rank 61 in the “Empowerment-Based Management” category for Monday Mindstorm, a weekly forum for the university community to exchange views and brainstorm ideas every Monday.
• Rank 74 in the “Interdisciplinary, Convergent, and Integrated Research” category for the 2025 Kosabangsa Program, which conducts cross-disciplinary research and community empowerment in Giripurwo Village, Kulonprogo.
• Rank 77 in the “University Brand and Reputation” category for the nationalism-themed art exhibition “Indonesia 100 Persen”.

The Founder of the WURI Foundation, Dong-sung Cho, stated that WURI has evolved into a global evaluation system to assess innovation in higher education. Through WURI, universities can design innovation frameworks and pathways that are more relevant and creative amid rapid global changes.

“In this new era, WURI 2026 aims to be more than just a ranking system. It is a movement that invites universities to shape a better world through innovation,” he remarked.

Securing the 303rd global position and making a mark in 11 categories in WURI 2026 represents a major milestone for UNU Jogja. In its inaugural participation in WURI 2025, the university was ranked 375th and placed in 4 categories.

The Acting Rector of UNU Jogja, Dr. Fahmy Akbar Idries, expressed his deepest appreciation for this extraordinary achievement. This proud milestone was accomplished through the hard work, close collaboration, and real contributions of the entire UNU Jogja academic community. Without the innovative programs initiated by the lecturers, the dedication of the administrative staff, and the achievement-driven spirit of the students, this new milestone would have been difficult to reach together. He further emphasized that this leap in the WURI 2026 rankings is clear evidence of UNU Jogja's commitment to realizing its grand vision towards 2045. 

"The global recognition of our 11 innovative programs spans various strategic sectors, from digital and AI transformation, institutional governance, to cross-disciplinary research. However, these technological and scientific leaps do not stand alone; they are deeply rooted in the core values of Aswaja An-Nahdliyah. The innovations born at UNU Jogja are designed to bring tangible benefits (kemaslahatan) to society at large, ensuring that no one is left behind, while addressing contemporary challenges through visionary and human-centric leadership," Dr. Fahmy Akbar Idries stated.

Successfully breaking into 11 global innovation categories also serves as a vital momentum for UNU Jogja to accelerate sustainable transformation within the campus ecosystem. With a powerful synergy between spiritual-cultural values and technological advancement, UNU Jogja is ready to step further as an epicenter of innovation that not only contributes to national progress but also actively helps shape a better world order for the global good. [Arif] 

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Reference:

Cho, D. S. (2026). Interview with WURI Founder Cho Dong-Sung: Building a future-oriented innovation-centered global university evaluation system. Brand News. https://www.ibrandnews.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=12081 

World University Rankings for Innovation. (2026). WURI Ranking 2026. https://www.wuri.world/wuri-ranking-2026