UNS — Rector of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Prof. Dr. Hartono, dr., M.Si., led the official ceremony commemorating the 50th Anniversary of UNS on Tuesday (10/3/2026) at the courtyard of dr. Prakosa Building, UNS. The ceremony was attended by lecturers, administrative staff, members of Dharma Wanita Persatuan (DWP), and student representatives.
In his remarks, Prof. Hartono expressed his deepest appreciation to lecturers, education personnel, and students for their participation, support, and togetherness throughout the series of events celebrating the university’s golden anniversary.
“The 2026 anniversary ceremony feels particularly special for two important reasons. First, it coincides with the holy month of Ramadan, a month full of blessings, kindness, and spiritual reflection for all of us. Second, this year marks a truly historic milestone as UNS celebrates its golden 50th anniversary,” said Prof. Hartono.
Over the past five decades, UNS has consistently contributed to higher education and national development in Indonesia through quality education, impactful research, and innovation. This commitment is reflected in various institutional achievements, including UNS ranking as the second most applied-to public university in Indonesia for the National Test-Based Admission Selection (SNBT) over the last two consecutive years.
However, Prof. Hartono emphasized that future challenges remain significant. One of the main concerns is the rapid advancement of information and communication technology, particularly in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), which has fundamentally changed how people work, learn, and interact with technology.
This condition requires all institutions, including higher education institutions, to continuously transform and redefine their relevance, business models, work processes, and competitive advantages.
At the same time, global uncertainty and rapidly changing environments demand universities to become more adaptive, dynamic, agile, and flexible in order to survive and continue to grow.
Another major challenge, he noted, is how universities can contribute more concretely to national economic independence and development through impactful research, innovation, and practical solutions for society. Higher education institutions are expected to produce not only academic excellence but also real solutions for public needs.
This aligns with the strategic initiative of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology through the “Impactful Higher Education” (Diktisaintek Berdampak) program, which encourages universities to generate meaningful innovation, research, and graduates who create real societal impact.
Therefore, the theme of the 50th Anniversary of UNS this year is: “Five Decades of Service to the Nation: A Foundation for Accelerating Impactful and Sustainable Achievements.”
Prof. Hartono emphasized that the anniversary celebration should not merely be seen as a ceremonial event, but rather as a moment for reflection and renewed commitment among the entire university community.
This momentum is expected to strengthen institutional transformation, reinforce UNS’ identity as an impactful and sustainable university, enhance its commitment as an inclusive, culturally rooted, environmentally conscious campus, and a stronghold of Pancasila values. It also aims to accelerate UNS’ achievements and reputation at both national and international levels, while fostering solidarity, love, and a sense of belonging among students, alumni, staff, and the wider community.
“May this 50th Anniversary momentum further strengthen UNS’ commitment to making its best contribution to the nation and the state,” he added.
Over the past year, thanks to the hard work of the university community and support from stakeholders, UNS has recorded significant institutional progress across various objective performance indicators.
In 2025, UNS once again achieved an AA rating with an improved score of 92.5 in the Government Performance Accountability System (SAKIP) evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology.
In the 2025 Higher Education Awards (Anugerah Diktisaintek), UNS won awards in 10 categories, an increase from eight awards in the previous year, placing UNS as the fourth most awarded university nationally.
UNS also made significant progress in global university rankings. In the QS Asia Rankings 2026, released in November 2025, UNS rose significantly from 221st to 168th in Asia—its highest ranking ever. This achievement also made UNS the only Indonesian university to receive the Performance Improvement Award at the QS Higher Ed Summit: Asia Pacific held in South Korea in November 2025.
Similarly, in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, UNS ranked as the second-best university in Indonesia after the University of Indonesia (UI).
In THE World University Rankings by Subject 2026, UNS successfully entered 10 out of 11 subject areas assessed. In several disciplines, UNS ranked first nationally, particularly in Law, Arts and Humanities, and Physical Sciences.
“I hope the acceleration of UNS’ achievements will continue in the coming years as outlined in our 2024–2029 Strategic Plan through the nine main strategies summarized in the DREAMTEAM acronym. Therefore, we truly expect support, hard work, and prayers from all members of the UNS community so that the university’s progress and excellence can be fully realized,” said Prof. Hartono.
He concluded by expressing hope that the 50th Anniversary would serve as a turning point where all components of UNS unite to accelerate institutional performance and achieve the university’s long-term vision and mission.
The achievements of the past five decades, he said, must serve as a strong foundation for future progress—ensuring that UNS remains not only a pride of the Solo Raya region, but also a pride of Indonesia: a university that soars high while remaining firmly grounded in delivering real benefits to society.
HUMAS UNS
