HUMAS USU – The University of Sumatera Utara (USU) has recorded a significant achievement in its academic history. The number of active professors has now reached 208, after six lecturers were officially confirmed in an Open Session of the Academic Senate at the Student Arena on Monday (8/9).

The USU Rector, Prof. Dr. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos., M.Si., called the increase in the number of professors as proof of the campus's earnestness in strengthening its academic capacity.

“In the last five years, the number of our professors has increased significantly, from 103 in 2021 to 208 in 2025. This achievement affirms USU's commitment to strengthening the Three Pillars, especially in the fields of research and innovation,” he said in his remarks.

The six lecturers confirmed as professors are Prof. Ir. Aulia Ishak, S.T., M.T., Ph.D. (Faculty of Engineering), Prof. Riswanti Sigalingging, S.TP., M.Si., Ph.D. (Faculty of Agriculture), Prof. Dr. Sutarman, M.Sc. (Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences).

Then Prof. Dr. Mariani Br. Sembiring, S.P., M.P. (Faculty of Agriculture), Prof. Dr. Sumaiyah, S.Si., M.Si., Apt. (Faculty of Pharmacy), and Prof. Dr. Ir. Luhut Sihombing, M.P. (Faculty of Agriculture).

Muryanto asserted that this confirmation is not merely an academic ceremony but a momentum to strengthen the role of a professor. “A professor is not only a symbol of the highest academic achievement but also the main driver that ensures USU becomes more competitive at both the national and international levels,” he said.

He emphasized the important role of professors in mentoring other lecturers to focus more on their research. Of the 1,797 lecturers at USU, 59 percent have served as research chairs, while the rest have never led research.

“The role of professors is crucial in providing mentorship to encourage more lecturers to pursue their research focus as leaders,” he explained.

According to him, the most popular research topic among USU lecturers and students is Environmental Science, followed by the fields of pharmacy, social sciences, and agriculture and biology. However, Muryanto reminded that research should not stop at mere publication.

“Research will have an economic growth impact if it is done consistently and is needed by the community or industry,” he said.

The Rector also touched on the challenges of improving the quality of USU lecturers' publications. Currently, more than half of the lecturers are already actively writing in Scopus-indexed journals, but some have not yet become lead authors.

“We must work hard to encourage lecturers who have not yet become lead authors and who do not have Scopus accounts to immediately improve their research performance through collaboration,” he affirmed.

Muryanto concluded his remarks by affirming USU's big target for the future.

“Professors are the main drivers who ensure the University of Sumatera Utara becomes a center of innovation, learning, and tangible contributions to the nation and the world. We will continue to increase the number of professors and strengthen the learning infrastructure so that the University of Sumatera Utara is always relevant, excellent, beneficial to the community, and on par with universities in the QS WUR and THE WUR top 500,” he concluded.