(04/5/2023) | National Education Day is celebrated every year on May 2. Commemoration of National Education Day every May 2 manifests the birthday of Ki Hajar Dewantara, Indonesia’s national hero known as the Father of National Education.

Ki Hajar Dewantara has taught a well-known philosophy in education, namely “Ing Ngarso Sung Tulodo, Ing Madyo Mangun Karso, Tut Wuri Handayani” which means “In front of giving an example, in the middle giving guidance, behind giving encouragement”. Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs, Students and Alumni of the Faculty of Law, Universitas Airlangga (FH UNAIR), Dr. Enny Narwati, S.H., M.H., said that the commemoration of National Education Day was expected to be an encouragement and mover for students not only to seek degrees from college but also to carry out activities and improve their abilities in other fields so that they become people of noble and robust character.

“Ki Hajar Dewantara once said that we can lead to glory with knowledge. These wise words always inspire the world of education to be better for the glory of the nation and state. These words align with this year’s National Education Day theme, Moving Together Enlivening Freedom of Learning. Higher education must be interpreted not only to seek a degree but to form a person with a noble and strong character. The students are expected to be able to experience lectures and experience in activities throughout the country and abroad to increase graduates ability and competitiveness in the job market. With these qualified abilities, students are also expected to be able to have high quality and become leaders in a better future,” said Dr. Enny.

National Education Day is also a momentum for FH UNAIR to improve the quality of higher education. UNAIR Faculty of Law won the EduRank Best Law School award in Indonesia by being ranked 70th in Asia and ranked 596th in the world. Meanwhile, in Indonesia itself, UNAIR Faculty of Law won 2nd place according to the EduRank ranking. FH UNAIR is only one rank below the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia.

The EduRank ranking consists of three indicators, namely 45% research performance, 45% non-academic excellence, and 10% alum score. This shows that FH UNAIR is one of the campuses with the best research performance and scientific publications. Apart from that, UNAIR Faculty of Law also succeeded in encouraging its academic community to not only carry out educational activities but also in non-academic fields. The alums of FH UNAIR are quality alums who have careers in various fields and occupy important positions.

Faculty of Law, Universitas Airlangga (FH UNAIR) again won the 2023 QS World University Ranking (QS WUR). This year, UNAIR Faculty of Law is ranked 151-200 at the world level and first at the national level.

Apart from the UNAIR Faculty of Law, the University of Indonesia Faculty of Law also won first place in QS WUR 2023. Dean of UNAIR Faculty of Law, Iman Prihandono, S.H., M.H., LL.M., Ph.D., through an interview with FH News on Tuesday (28/3/2023) ) said that this is not the first time FH UNAIR has won a ranking in QS WUR. Previously, the UNAIR Faculty of Law had won a 201 – 250 QS WUR ranking in 2021 and a 101 – 150 QS WUR ranking in 2022.

“In 2023, we decreased one cluster compared to the previous year. From 101 – 150 down to 151 – 200. In fact, in this QS WUR, we have a decrease, it must be admitted. However, even though we have experienced a decline, we are still better than in 2021 when FH UNAIR first received a QS WUR rating,” he said.

Iman continued by saying that many other FH universities had also experienced a decline in the national rankings.

“In 2022, we will experience an increase due to the pandemic. Academic activities were easier and more widely carried out because all activities were held online at that time. Maybe in 2023, because the pandemic will be over, mobility will return to the beginning and make a decline,” said the international law lecturer.

Iman explained that UNAIR Faculty of Law’s strategy for QS WUR ranking was still the same as in previous years, namely encouraging the publication of UNAIR Faculty of Law lecturers.

“We continue to encourage lecturers to write in national and international journals, for example, in Scopus. Our alums are also still in important positions both at the national and international levels. Some, even in 2022, will become ambassadors. Citations are also still being improved. However, we are still experiencing a decline, maybe because our efforts are not hard enough,” he explained.

However, continued Iman, ups and downs in university rankings are commonplace. The order also depends on the number of publications, research, and collaborations that year.

“Thanks to the QS WUR ranking, we know which position we have been in for 72 years. This ranking is also for FH UNAIR academics, alumni, and the wider community. The Top 200 shows what the founder of FH UNAIR and the first generation of lecturers and students who have held important positions in their careers have done have contributed to our current ranking. We must maintain quality and show that this ranking is not just a ranking, but must maintain the quality of research output, community service, and other things that impact the wider community,” he said.

Another positive impact of this ranking is that other universities’ Faculty of Law eye FH UNAIR as a reputable Faculty of Law. It also facilitates the implementation of lecturer and student exchange programs.

“If we invite foreign lecturers for guest lectures, they become more confident that UNAIR FH students are smart and active in discussions. It’s the same for exchange students. When we send UNAIR FH students abroad, the receiving university will feel confident that UNAIR FH students can study there,” he added.

In closing, Faith expressed hope for FH UNAIR. He hopes that FH UNAIR will increase in ranking next year while maintaining the quality of FH UNAIR, in research, community service, and other things.

“We hope that in the future research from Faculty of Law UNAIR will also be more responsive, what is the legal response to developments in society, even for something that doesn’t yet exist,” he concluded.

Faculty of Law, Universitas Airlangga (FH UNAIR) again won the Scimago Institutions Rankings (SIR) 2023. This is the second year for FH UNAIR to participate in the SIR ranking and maintain its position as the first national and 202 world ranking.

The Dean of FH UNAIR, Iman Prihandono, S.H., M.H., LL.M., Ph.D., in an interview with FH News on Tuesday (28/3/2023) said that since last year UNAIR’s FH ranking in SIR has not changed, it is still ranked 200 -an globally and ranked first nationally.

“Indeed, for the SIR ranking, we do not know the components of their assessment, it differs from the QS World University Rankings (QS WUR). QS WUR has four assessment components so that we can compare it from year to year,” said Iman.

“This ranking also positively impacts UNAIR FH academics, alumni, and society in general. This ranking shows us what position FH UNAIR has been in for 72 years. The first generation of FH UNAIR lecturers and students who have held important career positions have contributed to our current ranking. We would not have made it this far without their contributions. Therefore, we still have to maintain the quality of FH UNAIR, both from research, community service, citations, and other things that impact the wider community,” he continued.

In closing, Iman hopes that FH UNAIR research will be more responsive and able to answer societal developments, especially for something that has yet to happen. He also hopes that the quality of the maintained research can encourage FH UNAIR to increase in next year’s ranking.