USU PR – Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) has recorded a number of significant achievements as it continues to strengthen its position as a globally competitive university. As of August 2026, USU was ranked 268th in the QS World University Rankings: Asia and placed in the 401–600 band globally in the THE Impact Rankings 2026.

These achievements were presented by USU Rector, Prof. Dr. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos., M.Si., in his Rector’s Report during the Academic Senate Open Session commemorating USU’s 74th Anniversary. The event, held at the USU Auditorium on Thursday (August 20, 2026), carried the theme “Listening to Science for Global Impact.”

In his report, Prof. Muryanto stated that the university’s progress in the rankings forms part of USU’s transformation toward a new phase, The Era of Ultimate Excellence, for the 2026–2031 period.

“This is the meaning of Listening to Science: reading data, learning from experience, and using science to make faster and more accurate decisions,” Prof. Muryanto said in his address.

He emphasized that science must not remain confined to classrooms, laboratories, or academic publications. Research, he said, must be able to address the challenges faced by society and generate tangible benefits.

“Global impact does not mean abandoning the problems around us. Rather, it begins with the ability to solve problems within society and transform knowledge into direct benefits and impact for the community,” he said.

792 Student Achievements

In addition to the university’s institutional reputation, student achievements were also among the highlights presented by Prof. Muryanto Amin.

As of August 2026, USU students had recorded 792 achievements recognized under the student achievement indicators of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology.

Of these, 102 achievements were at the provincial level, 427 at the national level, and 263 at the international level. The total included 347 first-place awards, 231 second-place awards, and 214 third-place awards.

In the academic sector, USU had 182 study programs registered in the Higher Education Database (PDDikti) as of August 11, 2026. Of these, 50.55 percent held either Excellent (Unggul) or A accreditation status. This year, 29 USU study programs have also obtained international accreditation.

The strengthening of human resource quality is also reflected in the number of lecturers holding doctoral qualifications, which has reached 701. Meanwhile, the number of professors increased to 233 in August 2026, up from 173 in 2024.

Rp223 Billion in Research Funding and 14,710 Scopus Publications

In terms of research, USU conducted 3,236 research projects between 2022 and 2025, supported by Rp223.1 billion in funding from various sources, including DPRM, DRTPM, BRIN, and the USU Equity Program.

For international collaboration, USU recorded 267 collaborative research projects with total funding of Rp26.6 billion between 2021 and 2026. Meanwhile, the university’s internationally reputable publications indexed by Scopus had reached 14,710 publications.

Several research outcomes are also being directed toward addressing community needs. One example is the development of USU soybean varieties, for which Plant Variety Protection Rights (PVT) have been obtained for three candidate varieties: Athelia USU, Soya USU, and G1 USU. USU is also developing waste processing technologies, material innovations, and conducting B50 fuel testing to support energy resilience.

Prof. Muryanto stated that USU’s future development is not solely aimed at pursuing academic excellence, but also at ensuring that the university is capable of delivering measurable impact.

According to him, USU must become a meeting point for science, innovation, society, and the business sector.

“The USU campus must become a new center of economic growth because it is located within Medan’s business district,” the Rector said.

This concept will be developed through an integrated area encompassing education, healthcare, hospitality, culinary services, and sports. Under the plan, the UMKM Square is targeted for launch in December 2026, the Sport Science facility is expected to become operational in mid-2027, while the International Teaching Hospital and a hostel are targeted for completion in 2028.

Ministers and the Vice Governor Attend

The Open Session commemorating USU’s 74th Anniversary was also attended by a number of prominent officials. Among them were the Minister of Immigration and Corrections and Chairman of the USU Board of Trustees, Police General (Ret.) Drs. Agus Andrianto, S.H., M.H., as well as the Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises, Maman Abdurrahman, who delivered the scientific oration.

In his remarks, Agus Andrianto congratulated the entire USU academic community on the university’s 74th Anniversary.

“May this 74th anniversary further strengthen our spirit to continue moving forward with greater integrity, greater innovation, and greater impact on society,” he said.

Also in attendance were North Sumatra Vice Governor Surya, B.Sc., members of the North Sumatra Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), regional leaders, consuls general and honorary consuls from friendly countries, and leaders of higher education institutions.