As part of its ongoing efforts to internationalize, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) is actively engaging in collaborative research with both domestic and international universities. Various collaborative research teams have been formed and funded by USU through different research funding schemes, including the EQUITY (Enhancing Quality Education for International University Recognition) research program.

One of USU’s research collaborators, Prof. Rachmawaty, who heads the Doctoral Program in Natural Resources and Environmental Management at the USU Graduate School, stated that the team aims to strengthen its collaboration with research teams from several Malaysian universities. These include Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Universiti Malaya (UM), and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

Prof. Agus Purwoko, the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Forestry at USU and one of the experts involved in the collaboration added that national university partners are also participating in the program. These partners include Labuhanbatu University (ULB) and Tjut Nyak Dhien University (UTND) in Medan. Throughout 2024, the team has conducted collaborative research on various topics such as Geopark-based Tourism Development, Sustainable Forest Management Planning, Critical Land and Watershed Conservation, and Rare Plant Conservation.

"One of our partner universities, Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, could not join us this time. However, they are expected to participate in future research activities," Prof. Agus added.

Malaysian experts involved in the collaboration include Prof. M. Nazip Suratman, Prof. Seca Gandaseca, and Dr. Muhammad Fuad Abdullah from UiTM; Prof. Muhammad Hasmadi Ismail from UPM; Dr. Peter Tedong Anak Tedong from UM; and Dr. Mohd Noor Faizul bin Mhd Saad from the UKM Research Station on Langkawi Island. The collaborative research emphasizes a resource potential and lesson-learning approach, drawing from the practices of both countries in managing and developing natural resources for sustainable community welfare.

The joint research activities began with a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on Research Design and a Scientific Article Writing Workshop in June 2024 at the UM and UiTM campuses in Kuala Lumpur. On July 25, the activities continued with a week-long field visit and observations at various research sites in North Sumatra, including the Leuser Ecosystem buffer zone, the area surrounding the Mount Sinabung eruption zone, several Geosites in the Lake Toba Global Geopark, the Lake Toba Authority Office, and USU’s own Forestry Resource Conservation Laboratory and Arboretum/KeHati Park.

Most recently, the USU research collaboration team visited and conducted field observations at various Geosites in the Langkawi Global Geopark and the UKM Research Station on Langkawi Island.

The collaboration also includes mutual participation in various international conferences organized by USU and its partner universities in Malaysia. These conferences include the 12th IGRSM (UPM) held in Kuala Lumpur on April 29-30, 2024; ICIUP 2024 (UM) in Kuala Lumpur; the 6th ICONART 2024 (USU); and ICNRSD 2024 (USU). The team also plans to attend the DASAT conference (UiTM) in Genting Highland in January 2025. (Ag/RJ)