On 21 August, Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education (Kemeristekdikti) released top 100 non-polytechnics and top 25 polytechnics in Indonesia in 2017 on its official website

. The ministry also posted the information on its social media on Thursday, 22 August 2017.

Noticing the ranking, academicians of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) questioned why this university was not mentioned on the list. After confirming the news to Keomentistekdikti, it was informed that the uploaded list was for universities of cluster 1, while UMY is in cluster 2. However, several universities on the posted listed are in cluster 2. Thus, the academicians doubted the information.

Responding the report, Vice Rector for Cooperation and International Affairs of UMY Prof. Dr. Achmad Nurmandi argued that the ranking posted by Kementistekdikti was not based on data on a higher education ranking website of Institutional Directorate. “Kemenristekdikti might not have updated its data so that we wish that the ministry could revise the release. We have accessed the official ranking website and it is showed that UMY ranks. Indeed, University of Gunadarma was also not mentioned on the posted ranking list whereas the university ranks 89,” declared Prof. Nurmandi in interview on Thursday (24/8).

Data showing that UMY is supposed to be included in the top 100 non-polytechnics can be accessed on pemeringkatan.ristekdikti.go.id by inserting UMY’s university code 051007. “UMY is in rank 71 with rank 653 for the human resource category, rank 50 for the student category, rank 17 for the accreditation, and rank 48 for the research and publication,” explained Nurmandi.

Based on website-based ranking of international ranking agencies, Webometrics and 4ICU, UMY possesses a good rank. “Based on data of Webometrics released on July 2017, UMY ranked 24 of all Indonesian higher education institutions and was included in top five among private higher education institutions after University of Kristen Petra, University of Bina Nusantara, Universitas Islam Indonesia, and University of Dian Nuswantoro. Meanwhile, according to data of 4ICU 2017, UMY ranks 25 among Indonesian universities and ranks 5 among private universities following Universitas Islam Indonesia, University of Gunadarma, University of Widyatama, and University of Narotama,” stated Nurmandi. The ranking by Webometrics was also based on scopus-indexed publication and the number of publication citations.

Good ranks achieved by UMY based on Webometrics, 4ICU, and QS Star show that this university always attempts to enhance its qualities and competitiveness in order to equal to the best Indonesia universities. In fact, UMY always tries to contribute to education of this nation.