Bandung, August 14, 2026 — Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) conducted an academic and research cooperation visit to Telkom University as part of efforts to strengthen synergy between the two higher education institutions. Held in Room 16.04, 16th Floor of the TULT Building, the meeting served as a forum for benchmarking and sharing best practices in research management, scientific publications, community engagement, and university ranking strategies at both the national and international levels.
The meeting was attended by representatives from UMS, including the Directorate of Cooperation, Reputation, and Internationalization (DRKUI) and the Directorate of Research, Publications, and Community Engagement (DRPPS). Representing Telkom University were Head of the Institutional Planning, Development, and Control Division (P3I) Dr. Said Al Faraby, S.T., M.Sc.; Head of Ranking Control and Reporting Affairs Aprianti Putri Sujana, S.Kom., M.T.; Director of Research and Community Engagement (PPM) Dr. Eng. Faisal Budiman, M.Sc.; Head of Research Division Ratna Mayasari, S.T., M.T.; Head of Journals, Publications, and Community Engagement Division Isman Kurniawan, M.Si., M.Sc., Ph.D.; Head of Research Affairs Tegar Razzaaq W., S.Kom.; and Chair of Digital Collaboration for Sustainability Dr. Runik Machfiroh.
The meeting began with a presentation on potential areas of cooperation, followed by a question-and-answer session, a sharing session, and presentations on research management and university ranking strategies. The forum was intended not only to establish stronger synergy but also to provide an opportunity for both institutions to learn from the best practices implemented by each university.
One of the main focuses of the meeting was strategies to improve university positions in various international rankings, including the QS World University Rankings, Times Higher Education (THE), Webometrics, WURI, and UI GreenMetric. UMS specifically used the visit to gain insights into Telkom University’s practices in data management, international publications, and the strengthening of ranking indicators.
In her presentation, UMS representative Ayu Khoirotul Umaroh explained that UMS is one of 164 Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah Higher Education Institutions (PTMA) in Indonesia and is among the top-tier institutions within the PTMA network. UMS is currently ranked 1,201–1,500 in the THE World University Rankings and has recorded a significant improvement in the THE Impact Rankings, rising from the 1,001+ bracket to 401–600.
In addition to rankings, the discussion also addressed developments in research and scientific publications. The two universities have already established several collaborations, one of which is reflected in three joint publications authored by researchers from UMS and Telkom University in the field of Computer Science. National research cooperation is also underway between the Public Health team at UMS and Telkom University in the development of research tools in Boyolali.
In terms of publications, UMS has produced more than 3,800 Scopus-indexed publications, while Telkom University has recorded more than 11,000 publications. This difference in publication output provided an opportunity for both institutions to exchange insights on strategies for increasing not only the quantity but also the quality of international publications.
Regarding institutional governance, Telkom University explained that the Directorate of Research and Community Engagement (PPM) oversees the university’s core business processes under Dharma 2, namely research, and Dharma 3, namely community engagement. PPM is supported by the Research Division and the Community Engagement, Publications, and Journals Division. In addition, Telkom University has three multidisciplinary Research Centers of Excellence and Expertise Groups focusing on monodisciplinary fields.
The research ecosystem is further strengthened by supporting units such as Bandung Techno Park (BTP), which focuses on research downstreaming and intellectual property, as well as the SDGs Center, which supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Meanwhile, Telkom University’s Directorate of Strategic Planning and Quality Assurance (P3I) plays a role in developing the Strategic Plan (Renstra) and organizational structure, overseeing ranking control and reporting, and measuring institutional performance through key performance indicators conducted regularly on a quarterly basis across 32 units.
During the open discussion session, both parties also discussed funding schemes and competitions involving students and faculty members. Telkom University has competition and research grant programs that provide funding support to selected proposals from thousands of submissions. The programs involve judges from industry and government and provide recognition to students, supervising lecturers, and universities.
Telkom University also expressed plans to introduce these programs to UMS and the broader PTMA community as an opportunity to expand networks for cooperation and academic competition.
Regarding national research, UMS explained that its research funding schemes range from Rp10 million to Rp100 million per research project. UMS will also conduct monitoring and evaluation of ongoing research projects and is open to establishing a special National Collaborative Research batch should Telkom University propose a collaboration opportunity.
Opportunities for cooperation are also available in international research and community engagement. Telkom University explained that international research is managed through both top-down and bottom-up approaches. In addition, Telkom University applies administrative flexibility by allowing cooperation agreements to be formalized through either a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) or an Implementation Arrangement (IA), depending on applicable regulations and the characteristics of partners in different countries.
UMS also encouraged the development of a three-university collaboration model for both research and international community engagement. This model has previously been implemented through cooperation between UMS, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) Malaysia, and Universitas Negeri Gorontalo. Both parties also identified opportunities for synergy under the International Collaborative Research (RKI) program, including joint publications involving researchers from multiple higher education institutions.
The downstreaming of research outcomes was another important topic discussed during the meeting. Telkom University applies a management structure based on Technology Readiness Level (TRL), with research at TRL 6 and below managed by the Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), while research at TRL 6 and above is directed to Bandung Techno Park for further management and development.
UMS currently has nine downstreamed research products, while Telkom University has seven. This situation presents opportunities for both universities to utilize and further develop each other’s leading research products. One potential collaboration discussed was the integration of a communication aid for Umrah pilgrims developed by UMS with Telkom University’s Teman Haji program.
In the area of sustainable development, both universities also share a commitment to strengthening the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ecosystem. The exchange of experiences in data management and the fulfillment of SDG indicators was identified as an area with strong potential for further collaboration.
Meanwhile, in discussions on ranking governance, Telkom University explained that ranking-related priorities have been integrated into the university’s Strategic Plan (Renstra) and Key Performance Indicators (IKU), with support from the university foundation. Nevertheless, increasing awareness among faculty members and deans remains a challenge that requires continued attention and strengthening.
Ranking strategies are also implemented through flexible cross-directorate and cross-functional coordination. This approach is considered important because university ranking indicators cover a wide range of aspects that cannot be managed by a single unit alone.
Through this meeting, UMS and Telkom University not only exchanged information on institutional governance, research, publications, and university rankings, but also promoted the development of collaborations capable of producing concrete outcomes. The opportunities discussed included joint research, international publications, joint conferences, academic mobility, international community engagement, as well as the downstreaming and commercialization of research products.
The meeting is expected to serve as an initial step toward strengthening the institutional relationship between UMS and Telkom University. The spirit of benchmarking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration is expected to be translated into joint programs that benefit both institutions while strengthening the contribution of higher education to the advancement of knowledge and innovation.
