Sustainability is shared work that requires support from every part of a university. At UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, this commitment has been reinforced through concrete institutional action. Under the leadership of Rector Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan, UIN Sunan Kalijaga established the Coordinator of the Rankings and SDGs Center under LPPM to drive and connect sustainability programs across units.

Since first joining the UI GreenMetric ranking in 2025, UIN Sunan Kalijaga has continuously improved its management of green space, energy, water, transportation, and waste, while integrating the SDGs into campus activities. This collective effort has begun to show results: in just one year, UIN Sunan Kalijaga leapt 26 places, rising from 57th to 31st nationally.

This progress led UIN Sunan Kalijaga to receive three awards at the UI GreenMetric 2026 Ranking Ceremony, held at Grha Sabha Pramana, Universitas Gadjah Mada, on Tuesday (9/15/2026). In addition to placing 31st nationally, UIN Sunan Kalijaga received the Trees Rating & Compliance award in the 3.5–4 category, as well as recognition as the Indonesian University with the Best Substantive Improvement in Sustainability Performance.

UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Vice Rector for General Administration, Planning, and Finance, Prof. Mochamad Sodik, together with the Coordinator of the LPPM Rankings and SDGs Center, Dr. Ir. Trio Yonathan Teja Kusuma, and their team, attended the ceremony to receive the awards directly.

Yonathan said these three awards show that UIN Sunan Kalijaga's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is beginning to translate into concrete, measurable achievements.

"This rise in ranking reflects a significant improvement in performance. The Trees Rating & Compliance award and the recognition for Best Substantive Sustainability Performance Improvement also serve as acknowledgment of that process," he said.

This change was built through collaborative work across units. UIN Sunan Kalijaga, Yonathan added, has been steadily strengthening its Green Campus program, expanding green open spaces and tree cover, and developing renewable energy use through the installation of solar panels.

Water conservation has also been part of these efforts, including through the reuse of ablution water. On the mobility front, Yonathan said, the university is encouraging the use of more environmentally friendly transportation. Meanwhile, waste management has been strengthened through sorting, waste reduction, and the development of waste banks.

These infrastructure-based measures have gone hand in hand with education and the integration of SDG values into various campus activities. In this way, sustainability grows as both an institutional movement and a shared culture involving the entire academic community.

Yonathan expressed hope that the benefits of this transformation will be increasingly felt through a campus environment that is greener, more comfortable, healthier, more inclusive, and more efficient. At the same time, he hopes awareness among the academic community to practice sustainable behavior in daily life will continue to grow stronger.

The three UI GreenMetric 2026 awards serve as a foundation for UIN Sunan Kalijaga to continue its transformation from a Green Campus toward a Sustainable University. Sustainability is being integrated into governance, education, research, community service, infrastructure development, and campus culture.

Through these steps, UIN Sunan Kalijaga positions sustainability as part of the university's broader development direction. A ranking can serve as a marker of progress, but real change comes when campus policy shapes healthier learning spaces, more responsible use of resources, and knowledge that makes a genuine impact on the environment and society. (humassk)