USU PR – The inauguration of department heads, secretaries, and study program leaders for the 2026–2031 term at Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) reflected the university's commitment to diversity. The newly appointed academic leaders come from a wide range of ethnic and religious backgrounds, demonstrating that inclusivity and diversity are key strengths in advancing USU's governance.

The inauguration ceremony was held at the Student Center on Wednesday (July 1, 2026), attended by university executives, deans, directors, lecturers, administrative staff, and invited guests.

In his remarks, USU Rector Prof. Dr. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos., M.Si., stated that the world is undergoing rapid transformation, requiring lecturers and academic leaders to continuously adapt to technological advancements.

According to the Rector, the use of technology is no longer optional but has become an essential component of higher education. It should be utilized effectively to create learning experiences that are innovative, engaging, and relevant to the demands of today's world.

"I urge all lecturers to recognize that technological developments have transformed many aspects of life, including education. We must be able to integrate technology into the learning process so that the quality of education continues to improve," he said.

Prof. Mury also encouraged lecturers to continuously develop their competencies and embrace lifelong learning. He emphasized that adapting to ongoing changes is essential for universities to produce graduates who are globally competitive.

In addition to technological competence, the Rector highlighted the importance of understanding students' characteristics and learning needs. He explained that effective teaching should be student-centered and responsive to the evolving learning styles of today's generation.

He expressed hope that every lecturer would build strong communication with students so that teaching extends beyond content delivery to foster creativity, critical thinking, and the development of students' competencies.

"We must understand the needs of today's students. Teaching methods should continue to evolve in line with the times so that classroom learning becomes more engaging, interactive, and meaningful," he said.

During the ceremony, the Rector also reminded the newly inaugurated study program heads, department heads, and secretaries of the importance of fostering a collaborative work culture.

According to him, the advancement of study programs and the university as a whole cannot be achieved through individual efforts but requires strong collaboration among academic leaders, lecturers, administrative staff, students, and various stakeholders.

He expressed hope that the newly appointed officials would introduce innovations, strengthen academic governance, enhance educational quality, and expand collaborative partnerships to support the university's goals at both the national and international levels.

The inauguration marked another milestone in strengthening USU's commitment to building an academic environment that is inclusive, adaptive to technological advancement, and grounded in collaboration. The diverse backgrounds of the newly appointed leaders also reflect the university's belief that unity in diversity is a fundamental asset in advancing the institution.

The newly inaugurated Head of the English Literature Study Program, Dr. Muhammad Yusuf, S.Pd., M.A., said that the diversity of the newly appointed leaders was a source of pride. According to him, their varied ethnic and religious backgrounds would become a strength in supporting one another to advance their study programs, faculties, and the university.

"For me, this inauguration is especially meaningful because it demonstrates that USU truly upholds diversity. The newly appointed study program leaders, department heads, and secretaries come from various ethnic and religious backgrounds, yet they share the same goal of advancing the university. This shows that competence, integrity, and dedication to service are the primary foundations of leadership at USU," he said.