Surakarta, August 10, 2026 – Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) continues to strengthen its commitment to becoming an impactful university by integrating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across the Caturdarma of Muhammadiyah and ’Aisyiyah Higher Education Institutions. The commitment was reaffirmed through the Integration of SDGs into the Caturdarma of Higher Education forum, held at the Main Seminar Room on the 7th Floor of the Siti Walidah Main Building, UMS, on Monday (August 10, 2026).
Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, Reputation, Impact, Partnership, and International Affairs of UMS, Prof. Supriyono, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., emphasized that sustainability is no longer merely associated with global university rankings. Instead, it has become a national mandate that higher education institutions must realize through tangible impacts on society, the economy, and the environment.
According to him, the development of policies promoting Impactful Higher Education, along with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that incorporate SDG-related aspects, provides an important momentum for universities to embed sustainable development goals across all areas of the Caturdarma.
“Higher education institutions have a strategic role in educating society while also delivering good practices through the Caturdarma. The SDGs teach us that the current generation has a responsibility to ensure that future generations can continue to enjoy the same quality of environment,” Supriyono stated.
Meanwhile, Coordinator of the UMS SDGs Center, Rama Rizana, S.T., M.Sc., explained that the role of universities is shifting from a teaching university toward an impact and sustainability university. University success, he noted, is no longer measured solely by the quality of education but also by its tangible contribution to addressing social and environmental challenges.
At UMS, the integration of the SDGs is supported by a range of institutional foundations and policies. These include participation in global sustainability frameworks such as the THE Impact Rankings, QS Sustainability Rankings, and UI GreenMetric, as well as alignment with national policies, including the 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) and higher education KPIs.
UMS has also strengthened its institutional commitment through the establishment of the SDGs Center, the implementation of the UMS Strategic Plan 2025–2029 with its Green Campus vision, and a Rector’s Regulation on Environmentally Friendly Campus Management. SDG indicators are increasingly being integrated into courses, research, community engagement, and scientific publications.
The forum also highlighted the importance of collaboration across faculties and units. One strategic priority is curriculum development to ensure that sustainability values are increasingly embedded in the learning process.
Chair of the Institute for Educational Development and Learning Innovation (LPPIP) UMS, Koesoemo Ratih, S.Pd., M.Hum., Ph.D., shared that UMS has published curriculum guidelines that include directions for integrating environmental sustainability into compulsory courses. LPPIP is also currently updating Semester Learning Plans (RPS) to support lecturers in incorporating relevant SDG content into their courses.
“Going forward, the MyKurikulum system will also be developed to display SDG indicators for each course, allowing implementation to be monitored in a more measurable way,” Ratih explained.
The Faculty of Engineering (FT) UMS has also demonstrated its support for SDG integration through sustainability-oriented academic, research, and community engagement initiatives. Vice Dean I for Academic and Student Affairs of FT UMS, Dr. Ir. Nur Aklis, S.T., M.Eng., IPM., explained that the faculty is developing a doctoral program in Sustainable Engineering.
In research, FT UMS focuses on innovations in renewable energy, green manufacturing, and low-emission infrastructure. Its community engagement initiatives include assisting waste management programs in Gonilan and Sragen, supporting batik development through its research centers, and initiating a Plastic-Free Campus program and water stations to reduce single-use plastic consumption.
“Through community engagement, FT UMS has actively supported waste management in Gonilan and Sragen, contributed to batik development through our research centers, and initiated the Plastic-Free Campus program along with water stations to reduce the use of single-use plastics,” Aklis said.
These initiatives complement UMS’s participation in global sustainability assessments, including the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability, THE Impact Rankings, and UI GreenMetric World University Rankings, reflecting the university’s ongoing commitment to sustainable development.
By strengthening the integration of the SDGs across the Caturdarma, UMS aims to expand the impact of higher education on society while enhancing its reputation as an excellent, sustainable, and globally responsible university. The forum also marked an important step toward aligning programs across faculties and work units in supporting the integrated achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
