HUMAS - Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) is collaborating with two universities in South Korea, namely Namseoul University and Seoul Institute of Technology and Education (SITE). This cooperation is an implementation of USU's internationalization program.

USU Rector Dr. Muryanto Amin, SSos, MSi who signed directly with Namseoul University and SITE in South Korea said that the interesting concern of this MoU is that USU will develop several priority programs such as Global Leadership and IT and Smart Farming for Industry.

"After signing the MoU, I immediately discussed in detail the two programs with Namseoul University President Yoon Seung Yong and will choose a personal in charge (PIC) to ensure that the two programs go according to plan," said Dr Muryanto Amin after signing the collaboration with Namseoul University. Monday (09/19/2022).

The Rector said, Global Leadership and IT are needs that students must have in facing the industrial era 5.0. The global leadership program will discuss how leadership patterns and addressing international issues and solutions to overcome them will be discussed.

Meanwhile, Smart Farming for Industry is more about implementing technology in the governance of agriculture and plantations in North Sumatra. "These two programs will be very good if applied at USU and more broadly for the agricultural industry in North Sumatra," he said.

Meanwhile, for the collaboration with the Seoul Institute of Technology and Education (SITE) which was carried out on Tuesday (09/20/2022), the Rector said, focusing on developing automotive industry programs. SITE itself through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has donated equipment to develop the automotive industry centered at the USU Faculty of Engineering.

Personal In Charge (PIC) Collaboration between USU and Universities in South Korea, Prof. Budi Agustono, MS who accompanied the Rector's working visit to South Korea explained that the working visit to two universities in South Korea was a follow-up to the previous cooperation at USU.

"Previously, Namseoul University and SITE visited USU for the MoA and now is the follow-up. Namseoul University in South Korea is a campus that has an international reputation," said the Professor of History.

He explained that the collaboration also includes a student exchange program, Namseoul University has students from China, Japan, Vietnam and Kazakhstan who are certainly very good at international student exchange programs.

"While SITE during his visit to USU has provided assistance related to the development of the automotive industry, SITE has even surveyed guest houses at USU because it will dispatch its lecturers to teach at USU," he said.

Prof. Budi explained that the collaboration with two universities in South Korea would certainly further introduce USU as a quality campus. "The realization of the implementation of USU's internationalization work program was created by the existence of an MoU with two universities in South Korea," he said.

In addition to the programs described, Prof. Budi also encourages cooperation in the field of culture, especially for the USU Center for Cultural and Ethnic Studies. The hope is to create international research collaborations in the fields of industry and culture.

Accompanying the USU Rector's Working Visit to South Korea were USU's Member of the Board of Trustees (MWA) Reni Sitawati Siregar, USU's Deputy Dean II, Dra Heristina Dewi, MPd, USU's Deputy Dean III FIB, Mhd. Pujiono, PhD and representatives from the Study Program of History, Indonesian Literature and Ethnomusicology. (©ULC)

Author: Bambang Riyanto - HUMAS

Interviewee: - - -

Photographer: Irsyad Mulyadi - HUMAS