USU PUBLIC RELATIONS – Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) held a Higher Education Quality Assurance Workshop on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at the USU Student Center. The workshop featured Prof. Dr. Slamet Wahyudi, S.T., M.T., Executive Board Member of the National Accreditation Agency for Higher Education (BAN-PT), as the keynote speaker.

In his opening remarks, USU Rector Prof. Dr. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos., M.Si. emphasized that quality is the fundamental pillar of higher education development. He encouraged the entire academic community to embrace quality assurance as an integral part of the university's work culture rather than merely an administrative requirement.

"Quality assurance is not merely preparation for accreditation. It is the way we work, make decisions, and provide the best possible services to students and society," he said.

He further explained that the implementation of USU's Internal Quality Assurance System (SPMI) has been carried out consistently, as demonstrated by the PPEPP cycle—Determination, Implementation, Evaluation, Control, and Improvement—which has reached its 19th cycle in 2026.

"Quality must become the institution's character, habit, and identity," he added.

During his presentation, Prof. Dr. Slamet Wahyudi, S.T., M.T., Executive Board Member of BAN-PT, explained that the accreditation system continues to evolve in line with the latest regulations. He stressed the importance of establishing a shared understanding in responding to changes in accreditation instruments.

"This workshop is not merely a socialization session but an effort to establish a common understanding so that higher education institutions are prepared to respond to the continuous development of accreditation instruments," he explained.

He further highlighted that the latest accreditation framework places greater emphasis on quality culture and the effective implementation of the Internal Quality Assurance System (SPMI) within each higher education institution.

"The current emphasis is on building a quality culture. Higher education institutions should no longer focus solely on institutional accreditation but on ensuring that the Internal Quality Assurance System is genuinely implemented and becomes an integral part of the institution's overall system," he continued.

In an interview accompanied by Prof. Setiawan, S.Kp., MNS., Ph.D., from the USU Directorate of Quality Assurance, Prof. Slamet underscored the importance of mission differentiation as a new accreditation assessment indicator.

"An institution's mission has now become a significant aspect of accreditation because it will be linked to each institution's performance indicators and the impact it generates," he added.

The workshop is expected not only to serve as a forum for discussion but also to strengthen the commitment of all university units to continuously improve the quality of education and institutional governance at USU. The event was attended by university leaders, faculty administrators, heads of study programs, and members of USU's internal quality assurance team.