Andalas University is a public research university in Padang, West Sumatra. Andalas is one of the major public institution of higher learning in Indonesia, and the oldest outside the island of Java. The university is known for its excellence in social sciences and medical program, and has produced numerous distinguished alumni in public and private service. In November 2019, Andalas was ranked fourth best Indonesian research university from a nationwide evaluation conducted by the Ministry of Research and Technology.

Padang is the capital and largest city of the Indonesian province of West Sumatra. It had a population of 833,562 at the 2010 Census and 909,040 at the 2020 Census; the official estimate as at mid 2022 was 919,145 - comprising 461,712 males and 457,433 females. It is the 16th most populous city in Indonesia and the most populous city on the west coast of Sumatra. The Padang metropolitan area is the third most populous metropolitan area in Sumatra with a population of over 1.4 million. Padang is widely known for its Minangkabau culture, cuisine, and sunset beaches.