MEDAN – USU PUBLIC RELATIONS: Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) has once again recorded a positive achievement in the global university rankings. According to the QS World University Rankings (QS WUR) 2027, USU ranks fifth in Indonesia for the International Research Network (IRN) indicator, with a score of 37.6.

This achievement places USU among the Indonesian universities with strong international research collaboration networks. In the list published by Dataloka based on QS WUR 2027 data, USU ranks below Universitas Airlangga, Universitas Indonesia, Universitas Gadjah Mada, and Universitas Padjadjaran.

Notably, USU’s achievement in the International Research Network indicator is higher than that of several other prominent universities, including Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), IPB University, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS), and Universitas Brawijaya. ITB ranks sixth with a score of 32.7, while USU records a score of 37.6.

International Research Collaboration Continues to Strengthen

The International Research Network is one of the indicators used by QS to assess the diversity and sustainability of a university’s research collaboration network with institutions in other countries or regions. USU’s performance in this indicator therefore reflects the increasingly strong connections between its research activities and academic communities and research institutions at the international level.

In the QS WUR 2027 methodology, International Research Network is part of the Global Engagement category and carries a weight of 5 percent of the overall ranking score. In addition to IRN, the Global Engagement category includes the proportions of international faculty and international students.

USU’s fifth-place national ranking becomes even more significant when considered alongside its overall QS WUR 2027 ranking. USU is placed in the 1,001–1,200 range globally, yet ranks fifth nationally specifically for the International Research Network indicator. This demonstrates that USU’s strength in international research collaboration is an important asset in strengthening the university’s global competitiveness.

Consistently Strengthening Global Competitiveness

USU’s achievement in QS WUR 2027 continues the university’s positive trend in global rankings. In QS WUR 2026, USU climbed 200 places, moving from the 1,201+ range to the 1,001–1,200 range globally. At the time, USU’s aggregate score increased from 7.3 to 13.8, representing growth of approximately 89 percent compared with the previous year.

This improvement was supported by strengthened performance across various indicators, including academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, sustainability, and international research networks. The achievement demonstrates that improving research quality and expanding international collaboration are important components of USU’s journey toward becoming an increasingly competitive university at the global level.

Overall, QS WUR 2027 uses a number of indicators covering Research and Discovery, Employability and Outcomes, Global Engagement, Learning Experience, and Sustainability. International Research Network itself carries a weight of 5 percent in the overall assessment.

For USU, this achievement serves as further encouragement to continue expanding its academic and research networks with universities and research institutions in countries around the world. Strengthening international collaboration is expected not only to improve USU’s position in global rankings, but also to produce research that is increasingly high-quality, relevant, and impactful for society.

With its fifth-place national ranking for the International Research Network in QS WUR 2027, USU demonstrates that North Sumatra is home to a university with an increasingly recognized capacity for international research collaboration, both nationally and globally.