HUMAS USU – The Directorate of Public Relations, Promotion, and Protocol of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) organized a Public Relations Technical Workshop attended by faculty public relations officers and social media administrators from various university units. The program aimed to strengthen human resource capacity in public relations, particularly in publications, social media management, and digital content production.

In her opening remarks, the Director of the Directorate of Public Relations, Promotion, and Protocol, Prof. Dr. dr. Elmeida Effendy, M.Ked(KJ)., Sp.KJ(K), emphasized that the workshop represents a strategic effort to strengthen the university's public relations function.

"This program is essential for broadening the knowledge and enhancing the competencies of faculty public relations officers and social media managers so they can produce high-quality, accurate information that helps build a positive institutional image," said Prof. Elmeida.

She added that the rapid advancement of information technology requires public relations professionals to adapt to various communication platforms and deliver information that is timely, accurate, and engaging for the public.

The workshop featured several experienced media professionals as guest speakers. Irwan Arfa, Head of the ANTARA News Agency (LKBN ANTARA) North Sumatra Bureau, delivered a session on news writing techniques and press release preparation. He explained the fundamental principles of journalism, including identifying news value, structuring news stories, and writing effective press releases that are suitable for publication by mass media outlets.

Meanwhile, Usrizal Pulungan, Acting Head of the Metro TV Medan Bureau, presented a session on the importance of videography in public relations. He noted that video content has become one of the most effective communication tools for conveying information to the public, making the ability to produce informative and engaging videos an essential skill for today's public relations practitioners.

The final session was delivered by Ade Ardianta Harahap, a social media practitioner from MedanTalk. He discussed effective social media management strategies, covering content planning, audience engagement, and the use of digital trends to expand reach and increase public interaction with institutional content.

Through this workshop, the Directorate of Public Relations, Promotion, and Protocol hopes that all participants will apply the knowledge and skills they have acquired to strengthen the promotion and dissemination of the university's achievements, programs, and activities.