USU PR - The Postgraduate School of the Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) held the 3rd International Conference on Natural, Resource, and Sustainable Development (ICNRSD), with the theme “Establishing a Cohesive Framework for Sustainable Development: Integrating Research and Practice”. Located at the USU Student Center, on Wednesday (04/09/2024).

This conference was held in collaboration with Batam University, Medan Area University (UMA), Almuslim University Bireuen, Medan Tourism Polytechnic, and the Postgraduate Leadership Forum (FORPIMPAS) BKS-PTN Western Region.

In her speech, USU Vice Rector III, Prof. Dr. Poppy Anjelisa Zaitun Hasibuan, S.Si., M.Si., Apt. emphasized that the role of universities in achieving sustainable development is crucial, especially in bridging the gap between research and practice in the field. She emphasized that sustainable development is not just a concept, but a real action that requires collaboration across disciplines and sectors.

“I welcome this International Seminar as an important forum to discuss and find solutions to the challenges in integrating research with real practices for sustainable development,” he said.

The conference is a response to the global challenges faced by the world in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Although there has been progress in several fields, the gap between the world of research and the application of sustainable practices in the field is still quite large.

Director of the USU Postgraduate School, Prof. Ir. T. Sabrina, M.Agr.Sc., Ph.D., explained that the main purpose of this seminar is to provide opportunities for students and researchers to present their research results, both through seminars and publications in journals. She added that the seminar opened up the potential for future collaborations.

“The advantage of seminars is the opportunity to exchange ideas and build useful networks, in contrast to journal publications,” said Prof. Sabrina.

The Head of the Committee as well as Vice Director II of the USU Postgraduate School, Prof. Dr. Ir. Hamidah Harahap, M.Sc., also conveyed the importance of this conference as a forum for multidisciplinary discussions. The conference will discuss three main themes that will be the focus for the next three years, namely socio-economic sustainability, natural sustainability, and environmental sustainability.

“The participants are not only from Indonesia but also from several countries, including Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Africa. In essence, this conference aims to integrate all these aspects to achieve sustainable development,” Prof. Hamidah explained.