EduAsiaNews, Surabaya – Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) has once again reinforced its position as one of Asia’s leading universities according to the QS Asia University Rankings (AUR) 2026. In the latest results released on Monday (November 4, 2025), UNAIR ranked 54th in Asia and maintained its standing as the second-best university in Indonesia.
This year-to-year upward trajectory places UNAIR within the top 3.5 percent of universities across Asia. The recognition highlights consistent improvements in academic reputation, research output, as well as expanding national and international collaborations.
UNAIR Rector, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Madyan, S.E., M.Si., M.Fin., stated that this achievement is the result of contributions from the entire academic community—faculty members, administrative staff, students, alumni, and institutional partners. He emphasized that collective effort is essential for attaining recognition regionally, nationally, and globally.
“I extend my highest appreciation to all academic members who consistently produce quality teaching and research, to the staff who deliver excellent services, and to the students who bring achievements and enthusiasm to the university. Our gratitude also goes to alumni and partners for their continuous support,” he said.
Prof. Madyan explained that QS evaluates universities using 11 indicators grouped into four pillars:
Research & Discovery
Encompasses academic reputation, citations per paper, and papers per faculty—all based on Scopus data, reflecting research quality and productivity.
Employability & Outcomes
Measures industry perceptions of the quality of graduates.
Learning Experience
Based on faculty-to-student ratios and the proportion of faculty members holding doctoral degrees, indicating the quality of teaching and academic expertise.
Global Engagement
Assesses international research networks, student mobility, and the proportion of international faculty and students.
UNAIR scored highly in 7 out of the 11 indicators, earning values above 90 out of 100. “The most outstanding achievement is UNAIR’s employer reputation score, which reached 99.7 out of 100,” he noted.
He reminded the UNAIR community that this achievement should not lead to complacency but instead serve as motivation for continued reflection and improvement across all sectors. “We will continue to ensure that our education, research, and community service advance consistently, sustainably, and with meaningful impact for society, the nation, and humanity.”
Head of UNAIR’s Planning and Development Board (BPP), Dian Ekowati, S.E., M.Si., M.AppCom(OrgCh), Ph.D., stated that UNAIR will persist in its long-term efforts to strengthen institutional performance. She outlined several strategic priorities, including:
Expanding staff and student mobility programs and establishing stronger global research collaborations.
Increasing international publications and enhancing research quality to strengthen the Citations per Paper and Papers per Faculty indicators.
Growing the number of faculty members with doctoral degrees and reinforcing academic and employer reputation through alumni engagement and industry partnerships.
“These efforts reflect UNAIR’s commitment to strengthening its visibility and expanding its global impact,” Ekowati said.
UNAIR’s rising position in both national and Asian rankings serves as a timely milestone ahead of the university’s 71st anniversary on November 10. The achievement reaffirms UNAIR’s sustained progress across multiple areas, particularly in advancing its core missions embodied in the Tridharma of higher education. (*)
