Universitas Negeri Semarang (UNNES) has recorded a remarkable achievement in the Times Higher Education (THE) Sustainability Impact Rating 2026. The conservation-minded university made a significant leap from the 1501+ band in 2025 to the 301–400 global band in 2026, making UNNES the Most Improved University in Indonesia.
The result was announced by Times Higher Education during the Global Sustainable Development Congress (GSDC), held at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) in Tangerang on Wednesday (24/6). This achievement reflects UNNES’ growing contribution to the implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
THE Sustainability Impact Rating is designed to assess universities’ progress in supporting sustainable development. According to THE, the ranking serves as a catalyst to encourage and hold universities accountable for their role in advancing sustainability, while also recognizing the outstanding work carried out by higher education institutions around the world.
UNNES’ recognition as the Most Improved University in Indonesia is the result of systematic improvements in strengthening sustainability-oriented programs across the university. In addition, UNNES has also enhanced its data management, documentation, and evidence-based reporting to support measurable SDGs performance.
Head of the International Office and SDGs Center of UNNES, Alfath Yanuarto, received the award and recognition directly from Phil Baty, Chief Global Affairs Officer of Times Higher Education.
“We are grateful that UNNES’ initiatives in supporting sustainable development have received recognition from THE. We hope this achievement will serve as a strong foundation for further initiatives in realizing UNNES’ vision as a conservation-minded university,” he said.
Rector of UNNES, Prof. Dr. S. Martono, also expressed his appreciation for the recognition given by THE. He stated that the THE Sustainability Impact Ranking further strengthens global recognition of UNNES as a university that actively contributes to sustainable development.
In addition to its overall global position in the 301–400 band, UNNES also achieved outstanding results in several specific SDGs. The university recorded strong global rankings in the following areas:
SDG 5, Gender Equality: ranked 32nd globally.
SDG 4, Quality Education: ranked 34th globally.
SDG 1, No Poverty: ranked 52nd globally.
SDG 2, Zero Hunger: ranked 61st globally.
SDG 16, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: ranked 61st globally.
SDG 14, Life Below Water: ranked 73rd globally.
SDG 15, Life on Land: ranked 95th globally.
SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation: ranked 101–200 globally.
SDG 7, Affordable and Clean Energy: ranked 101–200 globally.
Through this achievement, UNNES reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening sustainability initiatives, expanding institutional impact, and enhancing global recognition through education, research, community engagement, innovation, and strategic partnerships aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
