Public Relations USU - Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) continues to show its commitment to creating an inclusive educational environment for people with disabilities. This is strengthened by the cooperation between USU and the National Commission on Disability (KND), which has been going on since 2022. In a discussion forum on Tuesday, (18/03/2025) in the Academic Senate Room, the two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve the accessibility of higher education for students with disabilities.

Based on KND data, 27,877,645 Indonesians have disabilities, but only 115 universities have Disability Service Units (ULD). Meanwhile, of the 291 universities that accept students with disabilities, the total number of students with disabilities has only reached 3,655 people.

In his speech, USU Secretary, Prof. Dr. dr. Muhammad Fidel Ganis Siregar, M.Ked(OG), Sp.O.G, Subsp. F.E. said that since establishing cooperation with KND, USU has built various disability-friendly facilities at the rectorate level and several faculties. He stated that USU strives to create a more inclusive, equal environment that supports academic and personal growth for students with disabilities.

“Services for students with disabilities is a commitment we must build,” Prof. Fidel said.

SU also said that USU is preparing a special budget to develop better facilities and services related to disability.

“We will create this disability service unit and realize it because it is necessary for higher education institutions,” Prof. Fidel explained.

KND Commissioner of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Rachmita Maun Harahap, ST, M.Sn, appreciated USU's steps in building inclusive facilities and accepting students with physical disabilities. Rachmita said she had conducted monitoring and socialization related to disability perspectives in the campus environment, including at the USU Faculty of Engineering. However, she hopes that in the future USU will also open opportunities for students with other types of disabilities, such as deaf, blind, intellectual, and mental disabilities. In addition, he highlighted that there is still infrastructure that is not fully accessible, such as the availability of elevators for wheelchair users.

“For mild physical disabilities, it may be disability-friendly, but for wheelchair users it may be a bit difficult, there is no elevator access because they still use stairs,” Rachmita said.

Furthermore, KND also encourages USU to include an inclusive curriculum in several departments. This aligns with the Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Regulation Number 48 of 2023 concerning Appropriate Accommodation (AYL) for students with disabilities in formal early childhood education units, basic education, secondary education, and higher education.

“This includes additional curricula such as elective curricula. For example, if there is an education major, there must be an inclusive research course curriculum,” Rachmita explained.

KND offers students opportunities to participate in internship programs as a form of support for educational inclusion. Through this collaboration, USU and KND hope to continue strengthening their commitment to creating an inclusive and equal educational environment for all students.