UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) has risen to the 7th position among Indonesia’s most sustainable universities, as recognized by the 2024 UI GreenMetric World University Rankings. This achievement marks an improvement from the 8th position it held in 2023.
In regional and global standings, UNAIR ranked 22nd in Asia and 56th globally for its sustainability efforts, demonstrating its dedication to maintaining and advancing environmentally responsible practices on campus.
Dr. Karnaji S. Sos., M. Si., accepted the award on behalf of UNAIR at the event hosted at Universitas Padjadjaran. “Alhamdulillah, UNAIR’s initiatives have been acknowledged, and we’ve improved our position compared to last year. It reflects our ability to manage the campus environment according to the required standards,” he said.
The rankings are based on 51 indicators grouped into six categories: campus settings and infrastructure, energy and climate change, waste management, water usage, transportation, and education and research. This year, UNAIR scored 8,725 out of a possible 10,000 points across all criteria, earning a 4.5 out of 5 Trees Rating under the UI GreenMetric evaluation system.
Green Campus initiatives
UNAIR has implemented several green initiatives to enhance sustainability and environmental responsibility. Key efforts include centralized parking systems, composting facilities, plastic waste recycling, energy-saving technologies, the UNAIR Bike program, and rainwater harvesting systems. Additionally, the university is developing alternative energy sources such as solar panels, wind turbines, and energy derived from wastewater sediment.
“This year, one notable innovation is our bottle cap recycling machine. We use the machine to process and shred bottle caps, repurposing them into practical items like keychains, ashtrays, coasters, and other useful products,” Dr. Karnaji explained during an interview with UNAIR NEWS.
Creating comfortable environment
Beyond accolades, UNAIR prioritizes the creation of a campus environment that is comfortable and beneficial for everyone. According to Dr. Karnaji, environmental management aims not only to meet ranking criteria but also to cultivate a campus atmosphere conducive to productivity and well-being.
“What truly matters is how we manage and organize the environment to ensure that everyone here feels happy, physically healthy, and environmentally supported. We want UNAIR to be recognized both internally and externally as a comfortable campus,” he concluded.
Author: Anggun Latifatunisa
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
