University of Indonesia profile page is on the QS Top Universities site showing the ranking of UI Communication sciences majors in the world. (QS Top Universities)
DEPOK – Communication sciences Study Program of Universitas Indonesia (UI) became the first and only the best communication sciences study program in Indonesia according to Quacquarelli Symonds World University Ranking (QS WUR) by Subject 2023. The UI Communication Sciences study program has successfully met 4 (four) assessment indicator in QS WUR by Subject 2023 in the communication and media studies subject category.
QS WUR releases a ranking of 54 categories based on subjects with communication sciences as one of the categories. Ranking by subject is assessed through 4 (four) indicators, among others academic reputation, academic reputation, citation per paper, and H-index citation. The four indicators were successfully fulfilled by only 1 (one) university in Indonesia, namely UI, making UI Communication Sciences as a university with the best communication sciences field in Indonesia and possessing ranked 201-250 in the world.
Head of UI Undergraduate Study Program of Communication Sciences, Whisnu Triwibowo, stated that this predicate is an award from outside party and not a special target pursued by UI Communication Sciences Study Program to build a reputation. “This predicate is the result of organizational work. We always maintain quality by possessing mechanisms for development, learning, reflection, and maintaining output of graduates from UI Communication, whether or not there has been a rating from the past” he explained. This is stated by Whisnu in order to form UI Communication graduates into quality graduates and have an impact on industry.
The quality of graduates focused on maintaining the employer reputation indicator has the highest number compared to the other three indicators. This is a selling point for prospective students who want to continue their education at UI Communication Sciences. As Allysa Natalie, a Communication Sciences student class of 2020, experienced when she was considering which communication sciences study program she would choose to continue her higher education. “Yes, (applying to UI Communication Science) cause of the alumni and academics too. The connections from the alumni are really good,” said Allysa who also as a UI 2nd place outstanding student. The employer reputation indicator itself shows that many UI Communication Sciences graduates are looking for work after receiving their first degree. As a result, job requests from UI Communication Sciences graduates are sought after by many companies.
Meanwhile the other three indicators, namely academic reputation, citation per paper, and H-index citations, are more focused on assessing a study program’s academic and scientific quality. Allysa also noticed the implementation of academic activities in this UI Communication Sciences Study Program, “In practice, it is still very minimal, like we are very theoretical (if) we reflect on other universities,” while comparing what her friends learned at other universities. However, this shortcoming is quite helped by the many experienced practitioner lecturers who teach students. “So, still, we don’t just learn from books, but also getting through the experiences of the top lecturers,” she added.
Several standard improvement efforts made by the UI Communication sciences Study Program indirectly contribute to the assessment indicators by QS WUR. First, encouraging lecturers to take higher advanced education, namely doctoral education. As Kaprodi, Whisnu hopes that the lecturers’ professionalism can be improved in the future and producing publications competing with the foreign universities.
Second, participating in accreditation to evaluate the teaching and quality of the study program. Whisnu states that UI Communication Sciences Study Program participates in many accreditations to evaluate. There are semester evaluations from internal UI, national accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Higher Education (BAN-PT), the Southeast Asian regional accreditation ASEAN University Network Quality Assurance (AUN-QA), and will add international accreditation Accreditation Agency in Health and Social Sciences (AHPGS) this year. “This is to make the study program always catch up with industry needs and not be left behind in terms of international knowledge,” Whisnu’s expectation to improve the quality of UI Communication sciences.
