QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026: UIN Jakarta Ranks 29th Best in the World for Theology
Jakarta, UIN Online News — UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta has achieved another significant milestone on the global academic stage after being ranked 29th in the world for Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
According to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, released on Thursday (26 March 2026), UIN Jakarta earned an overall score of 76.1, supported by strong performances across several assessment indicators. The university recorded an Employer Reputation score of 49.1, an Academic Reputation score of 75.0, an impressive H-index of 92.1, and Citations per Paper of 94.5, reflecting the growing international recognition of its academic excellence and research productivity.
The achievement marks a remarkable rise in UIN Jakarta's global standing. In the 2025 edition of the rankings, the university was placed in the 101–150 band worldwide, while in 2024 it ranked within the 101–140 range in the same subject. Climbing to 29th place in 2026 demonstrates a significant acceleration in the university's academic quality, research performance, and international competitiveness.
This latest ranking places UIN Jakarta ahead of a number of internationally renowned institutions, including Fordham University, the University of Birmingham, Université catholique de Louvain, the University of Aberdeen, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, The Catholic University of America, and even Al-Azhar University. At the national level, UIN Jakarta also emerged as Indonesia's highest-ranked institution in the field, followed by UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, ranked 37th, Universitas Gadjah Mada, ranked 45th, while Universitas Islam Indonesia and UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang were both placed in the 101–150 range. Globally, the top ten positions in Theology, Divinity & Religious Studies were occupied by the University of Notre Dame, the University of Oxford, Harvard University, Durham University, Boston College, the University of Chicago, the University of Cambridge, KU Leuven, Duke University, and Yale University.
Rector of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, Prof. Asep Saepudin Jahar, M.A., Ph.D., described the achievement as the result of the collective dedication of the university's academic community in strengthening scholarly traditions across religious studies and other disciplines. He emphasized that the ranking reflects years of collaboration, research development, and continuous efforts to enhance academic quality. "This achievement is the result of the collaboration and dedication of the entire UIN Jakarta academic community in building a strong academic tradition with global competitiveness," he said.
The Rector expressed hope that the accomplishment would not only be maintained but also expanded to other academic disciplines in the future. At the same time, he stressed that international recognition brings with it a greater responsibility to continue improving academic quality and reinforcing UIN Jakarta's scholarly tradition. "This is not merely an achievement but also a responsibility for all of us to continue improving quality and strengthening UIN Jakarta's academic tradition," he remarked.
He also conveyed his appreciation to the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, particularly the Directorate General of Islamic Education and the Directorate of Islamic Higher Education, for their continued support in enhancing the quality of Islamic higher education institutions. According to him, the ministry's commitment has played an important role in advancing UIN Jakarta's international standing.
Meanwhile, the Directorate of Islamic Higher Education regarded the result as further evidence of the growing global competitiveness of Indonesia's State Islamic Higher Education Institutions (PTKIN). In this year's ranking, three PTKINs secured places in the global standings: UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta at 29th, UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta at 37th, and UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang at 130th.
Director of Islamic Higher Education, Prof. Dr. Phil. Sahiron Syamsuddin, M.A., stated that the achievement demonstrates the success of Indonesia's internationalization strategy for Islamic higher education. He noted that only a limited number of universities in Indonesia—and even across Asia—have succeeded in entering the world's top fifty in a specific academic discipline. He further expressed hope that this accomplishment would serve as momentum to strengthen international collaboration, improve research quality, and broaden global recognition of PTKIN institutions as leading centers of excellence in religious studies. "This achievement deserves to be celebrated collectively while inspiring us to continue enhancing the quality and global competitiveness of PTKIN institutions," he concluded.