Tag: Universitas Sumatera Utara

The Indonesian Ministry of Education has introduced an “impact-driven education” policy, requiring all higher education institutions to demonstrate tangible benefits through their activities. In line with this directive, five lecturers from Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) carried out a capacity-building program for lecturers in remote areas of North Sumatra.

The program took place on Nias Island, which can only be reached by a one-hour flight, or an eight-hour land journey followed by an eight-hour sea trip. The USU delegation conducted training sessions and workshops for more than 100 lecturers from Universitas Nias and Sundermann Theological Seminary.

The five lecturers included Prof. Endang Sulistya Rini, Prof. Dr. Yeni Absah, Prof. Dr. R. Hamdani Harahap, Prof. Saharman Gea, and Dr. Fotarisman Zaluchu. The intensive training was held on August 7–8, 2025.

“This initiative will continue through collaboration with Universitas Sumatera Utara, ensuring that the university’s impact becomes increasingly significant,” said Prof. Saharman.

Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) conducted a Community Service Program in Pakam Village, Batu Bara, through focus group discussions (FGD) and community training & development held at the Hall of the Cooperative and Small and Medium Enterprises Office of Batu Bara Regency.

This community service program is part of Desa Binaan USU’s Program, carried out by a group of Faculty of Social and Political Sciences lecturers from various academic programs. The program is titled “Development of Village Regulations on Household Waste Management and Small Business Operations to Support Economic Empowerment in Pakam Village.”

Desa Binaan USU’s Program is a community service program run by the Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) with the aim of developing village potential through various empowerment activities. The program involves students and lecturers from various disciplines to provide solutions to problems in the villages and improve the quality of life of the villagers.

This series of community service activities consists of training and development programs for housewives, who are organized into groups of workers involved in the processing of shellfish waste. Additionally, the development of village regulations on household waste management is being undertaken to support the local economy. The FGD activity was conducted to explore the aspirations of local government officials and relevant parties to align perceptions regarding the formulation of village regulations on household waste management and small businesses to support community economic empowerment in Pakam Village.

This FGD invited relevant parties such as local governments, sub-districts, and districts, with a total of 17 participants. The training and development activities themselves were attended by 19 participants, predominantly housewives. The service team is led by Dra. Februati Trimurni, M.Si., Ph.D., with members comprising FISIP USU lecturers from various disciplines (programs of study), namely Dr. Muhammad Arifin Nasution, S.Sos., Wiro Oktavius Ginting, S.Sos., M.Si., Dra. Dara Aisyah, M.Si., Ph.D., and Siti Hazzah Nur. R, S.Sos., M.AP., from the Public Administration program. Additionally, there are Dr. Yovita Sabarina Sitepu, S.Sos., M.Si. from the Communication Studies program and Dr. Onan Marakali Siregar, S.Sos., M.Si from the Business Administration Program.

Dra. Februati Trimurni, M.Si., Ph.D., as the head of the community service program, explained that the initiative to draft village regulations and empower the community arose from community complaints about waste and the potential that exists. “The society’s complaints about waste reached us (the community service team), and we also saw potential here. Additionally, I had previously conducted a similar community service project, so we chose this village,” she said in an interview. Key points discussed in the FGD included an analysis of the village’s situation and potential, the presentation of solutions both regulatory and empowerment-related, and discussions regarding the Village Regulation (PerDes) presented by Dra. Februati Trimurni, M.Si., Ph.D., and Dr. Onan Marakali Siregar, S.Sos., M.Si.

Ratna Dewi (housewife) as a participant in the training and development program facilitated by this community service initiative also shared her insights on the journey of the waste processing process they have undertaken. Ratna explained that this program has had a significant impact on coastal women, both economically and in terms of fostering social connections. Ratna also expressed her hope that this activity could be conducted again by Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) with an increased number of working women, given the outcomes of this community service initiative.

Drs. Bambang Hadi Suprapto, M.Si., as the Assistant for Economy and Development at the Batu Bara Regency Secretariat, who was present to delivering opening remarks and kick off the FGD, shared his hopes following the completion of this activity. “We hope this activity can make Pakam Village a pioneer for other villages. We also need academic support to identify the basic potential and opportunities that can be managed, of course through a commitment to build synergy with USU,” Bambang said in his remarks. The activity received high enthusiasm from the community and participants in the training and empowerment program. 

In an effort to understand the dynamics of developing micro, small, and medium enterprises (UMKM), students from the Public Administration Program at Universitas Sumatera Utara visited the Office of Cooperatives and UMKM in Batubara Regency. This visit provided important insights into the office’s role in supporting over 8,000 UMKM spread across 12 districts in the region.

The Office of Cooperatives and UMKM in Batubara Regency is committed to providing guidance and outreach to small business owners. One of their primary focuses is to assist in promoting and marketing UMKM products. Through various programs, the office aims to help UMKM in Batubara “level up” and compete in an increasingly competitive market.

During the visit, we learned that the office also conducts training on digital finance. Additionally, they assist entrepreneurs with the necessary permits, such as the Business Identification Number (NIB), halal certification, BPOM, and food safety outreach.

The governance activities carried out by the Office of Cooperatives and UMKM are routine, recognizing the importance for business owners to compete in marketing their products. However, the office faces challenges, including budget constraints and a lack of personnel to review all UMKM in Batubara.

The office also provides annual training and physical assistance. “We strive to support UMKM to grow and compete at both local and national levels,” said one of the office officials.

Potential UMKM products in Batubara Regency include songket, sambal kepah, sagon kampung, keripik gosong, and woven goods. The Office of Cooperatives and UMKM works to introduce these products through events held periodically, allowing the wider community to recognize and purchase local products.

Centers for UMKM development in Batubara Regency are not centralized in one location, but are spread across each district. For example, in the District of Lima Puluh Pesisir, there is UMKM Dangai Limonam, while in Sei Balai District, UMKM focuses on snack products.

However, challenges remain for UMKM entrepreneurs, particularly regarding operational costs and product packaging. The Office of Cooperatives and UMKM assists in packaging design, but entrepreneurs must bear the material costs themselves. This often becomes a barrier for those wishing to enhance their product’s appeal.

Regarding capital assistance, the Office of Cooperatives and UMKM provides support annually in the form of training, promotion, and equipment. This year, they are also expected to provide capital assistance. Furthermore, the office collaborates with Bank Indonesia and local companies to strengthen support for UMKM entrepreneurs.

With the introduction of new regulations such as Law No. 7 of 2021, which governs capital and UMKM criteria, the Office of Cooperatives and UMKM offers outreach to entrepreneurs to help them adapt to regulatory changes and the dynamic market conditions.

This visit demonstrates that the Office of Cooperatives and UMKM in Batubara Regency is committed to continuously supporting the development of UMKM in the region. Although challenges persist, their efforts in providing training, assistance, and product promotion are expected to encourage the growth of local businesses and enhance the competitiveness of UMKM products in Batubara at both national and international levels.

Humbang Hasundutan (Humbahas) Regency is one of the disaster-prone areas in North Sumatera. The area is prone to landslides, which are exacerbated by deforestation and prolonged rainfall. The Humbahas region has a high rainfall intensity with a poor surface drainage system. This triggers hydrometeorological disasters in the form of floods and landslides. From these disasters, the society felt great losses such as infrastructure damage in residential areas, damage to plantations, rice fields, and crop failure. As an anticipatory step and implementation of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education, Lembaga Pengabdian Pada Masyarakat Universitas Sumatera Utara (LPPM USU) organizes disaster mitigation and adaptation activities through the Society Service Program (PKM) thematic disaster mitigation and adaptation.

The program, launched on July 4th, 2024, at the Bukit Barisan Hall in Humbahas Regency, represents a crucial collaboration between Lembaga Pengabdian Pada Masyarakat (LPPM) USU and the Humbahas regional government. This initiative aims to equip the region with the tools and knowledge to effectively minimize the impact of disasters. Tua Marsatti Marbun as a representative of the Humbahas Regency government stated about this launch signifies a commitment to provide stakeholders involved in the disaster mitigation program with the necessary resources and infrastructur.

The program operates under two distinct schemes: the PKM Assisted Village Program and the PKM Regular Mono Year. The PKM Assisted Village Program takes a long-term approach, providing multi-year support to designated villages. Conversely, the PKM Regular Mono Year program focuses on short-term interventions. Dr. Oding Effendy, the implementing coordinator of the disaster mitigation thematic activities, elaborated that both programs will run for seven months each year, spanning a total of nine locations and encompassing a range of activities.

The program tackles disaster preparedness on multiple fronts. One key activity involves the formation of Disaster Resilient Villages (DESTANA) which empowers communities to manage potential threats, environmental conservation (tree planting), economic development (sustainable tourism), and public health improvement. Furthermore, a unique initiative involves designing disaster mitigation gymnastics for elementary school students, aiming to instill a culture of preparedness from a young age.

The program launch fostered a vibrant discussion with Ir. Yusak Maryunianta, M.P. (Chief Executive of PKM Assisted Village), Dra. Fatma Wardy Lubis, M.A. (Chief Executive of PKM Regular Mono Year), Benthon Juber Lumban Gaol, ST., M.Si. (Head of BPBD North Sumatera), and Manutur Parulian Naibaho, S.Sos., S.H., M.Si. (Head of Prevention and Preparedness). One crucial concern raised was the need to address the underlying economic factors that contribute to environmental destruction. Recognizing this, USU emphasizes a holistic approach, extending its support beyond disaster mitigation and adaptation to encompass local economic development initiatives. By empowering communities economically, the program aims to reduce the pressure on natural resources driven by poverty. Through this activity, it is hoped that the entire implementation team and also the stakeholders involved will be able to realize each planned program so that it is right on target according to the needs of the society in Humbang Hasundutan Regency.

To assist the elderly to be empowered by the internet, Tular Nalar 3.0 Mafindo with support from Google.org in collaboration with FISIP USU held an ACADEMI DIGITAL LANSIA (ADL) held at the Catholic Church ST. Fransiskus Asisi, Pasar 6 Padang Bulan, Medan City. This Akademi Digital Lansia (ADL) is a digital literacy training activity aimed at the elderly so that they are empowered to use digital media (internet).

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reports that the life expectancy (UHH) of the Indonesian population will reach 73.93 years in 2023. Based on the 2023 Elderly Population Statistics published by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), as many as 49.56% of the elderly already use gadgets. However, only a fifth have access to and use the internet. Elderly people, including vulnerable groups, need to be well-informed so that they are not easily fooled by digital fraud and the spread of fake news which is currently on the rise, especially ahead of a large-scale disaster, namely the regional head elections to be held in November 2024.

This activity was opened by RP.David D. Barus OFMConv. as Pastor of the Catholic Church of ST. Fransiskus Asisi Padang Bulan. In his remarks, Pastor David expressed his support for implementing the Academi Digital Lansia which is also considered important now. He expressed his full support for implementing this Academi Digital Lansia which is also expected to be carried out repeatedly and reach more elderly people from a wider range of areas, especially in the ST. Fransiskus Asisi Padang Bulan.

Also giving a speech, Yovita Sabarina Sitepu S.Sos., M.Si., as PIC Tular Nalar FISIP USU explained the Academi Digital Lansia that will be implemented along with a brief explanation of the assistance that will be carried out online after this Academi Digital Lansia activity is carried out. “The elderly are one of the groups that are vulnerable to becoming victims of digital crime today, therefore this activity aims to help improve the digital literacy skills of the Indonesian people, especially among the elderly,” he explained.

On a separate occasion, Mafindo Tular Nalar 3.0 Program Manager, Santi Indra Astuti, gave a speech and explained that Tular Nalar, which has been present since 2020, aims to instill the habit of critical thinking among the public while facing the upcoming information flow. “Currently we are dealing with the swift flow of thoughts and the flow of information that is challenging during the election period, so that is our current challenge,” she said in the welcome video.

The Academi Digital Lansia is carried out using the microteaching method, where one facilitator assists 10 participants, namely the elderly. The elderly are invited to recognize the challenges of the elderly in the digital world with BERBUDI (Bersama Bugar Digital). They are also introduced to fraud prevention measures with the concept of WAKUNCAR [Waspadai (Beware), Kunjungi (Visit), Cari (Search)], where in this segment the elderly are invited to analyze news with the ABCD game or Amati, Baca, Cari, Diskusikan (Observe, Read, Check the Facts, and Discuss). In this segment, the elderly are given the opportunity to discuss and analyze the news previously provided by the facilitator.

In addition to playing to discuss and analyze the news, the elderly are also introduced to the chaos that is usually found in content circulating on social media, namely Kacau IDE (Kacau Isi, Kacau Diri, and Kacau Emosi). At the end of the segment, the elderly and all facilitators held a cellphone exercise guided by the companion. The series of events went smoothly and enthusiastically.

Yovita said that, based on their observations during the activity, participants enthusiastically shared stories about fraud that happened to their acquaintances and misinformation that they received during the last presidential election season. Even during the “senam ponsel”, the elderly were so enthusiastic that the exercise was repeated twice. “Next week, during the mentoring activity, hopefully the participants will be able to apply the Wakuncar technique when receiving suspicious information either from WhatsApp, Facebook, or SMS,” she explained.

The widespread use of social media is unavoidable in today’s digital era. The young generation are the ones who will determine the future of Indonesia’s media literacy. Based on a survey conducted by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) released by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) in 2019, Indonesia ranked 62nd out of 70 countries, or the bottom 10 countries with low literacy levels.

Although the literacy rate in Indonesia is still relatively low, Indonesians actively use the internet, especially in terms of online shopping and social media usage. Data shows that everyone has at least one mobile device with a fairly high percentage of social media users, which is 60% of the total population.

Due to this particular issue, the Communication Science student groups of Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik (FISIP) of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) held socializations at SMK Perguruan Nasional Brigjend Katamso 1 and SMAS Prayatna Medan that involved a total of 81 students. These activities were held on May 15 and 22, 2024 with two themes: “Recognizing ‘Infinite Scroll’ Addiction in Teenagers” and “How Ads and Clicks Shape the Internet and Deconstruction Media Message”.

The purpose of these socializations are to raise students’ awareness about the importance of literacy in the digital era, provide knowledge about the dangers of excessive use of smartphones and social media, and teach them how to limit and moderate their time on social media.

In addition, these socialization s also aim to provide a basic understanding of how to be wise in media literacy, identify good and bad advertisements and clicks, to understand the deconstruction of digital media in the digital era.

In this socialization, the college students educated the students in each school about life in a digital world filled with information and communication technology that continues to grow, facilitating human work, especially with the existence of smartphones that are being used every day and had become an inseparable aspect in our lives.

However, on a smartphone, there are many dangers that might go unnoticed. One of them is the bad habit of surfing in social media until you lose track of time. One can feel too comfortable on social media because of infinite scrolling, a feature where the social media continues to display content without limit or end. This leads to the “inability to stop scrolling on social media” as the algorithm displays content that matches the user’s interests.

Through this socialization, the college students hope that the students that they taught can apply the fundamental aspects of media literacy, such as how to moderate the use of smartphones, be aware of why we can’t stop scrolling, be aware of the harmful effects that are caused by social media, be able to differentiate good and bad clicks, understand the deconstruction of media messages, act wisely and critically in the use of digital media, and help educate family, friends, and the surrounding environment who have not been exposed to this knowledge.