29 July 2019
Threesna Sharfina
MEDAN – USU Public Relations: Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) was appointed as the host of the Meeting and Commission D Session of the Council of Professors of State Legal Entity Universities (MDGB PTN-BH), held from July 23–25, 2019, at Niagara Hotel, Parapat, North Sumatra. USU Rector, Prof. Dr. Runtung Sitepu, S.H., M.Hum., officially opened the meeting, and was attended by USU Board of Trustees Chair Drs. Panusunan Pasaribu, M.M., the Chair of the Council of Professors, the Chairs of the Academic Senates, Professors’ Forum Committee Chairs, Working Group Chairs, and Secretaries from 11 PTN-BH institutions.
In his remarks on Tuesday evening (23/07/2019), the Rector expressed his gratitude for USU's trust in hosting this important gathering. He also presented a brief overview of USU's achievements. He emphasized the importance of equal treatment among the 11 PTN-BHs, calling for autonomy not to be based solely on ranking systems.
Prof. Dr. Ir. Nadjadji Anwar, M.Sc., Chair of the MDGB PTN-BH and Head of the ITS Professors’ Council, expressed hope that this first-ever meeting in North Sumatra would yield constructive input regarding the future of the MDGB and its role in national development.
USU’s Professors’ Council Chair, Prof. Dr. dr. Gontar Alamsyah Siregar, Sp.PD-KGEH, in his opening address, stated that the meeting was a follow-up to the PTN-BH Forum held in Makassar on July 13–15, 2018. He hoped it would serve as a strategic step to enhance the role of professors in PTN-BHs and synergistically support institutional performance. This aligns with the meeting’s main objective: compiling professors’ ideas as policy input for the national government on key strategic issues.
This year’s theme focused on “The Character and Identity of the Millennial Generation,” following the 2018 discussion theme of “National Identity in the Era of Industrial Revolution 4.0: Turning Challenges into Opportunities.” The meeting also finalized Commission D’s discussions and laid out follow-up steps for the upcoming MDGB plenary session scheduled for August–September 2019.
Prof. Gontar emphasized that the meeting’s outcome is expected to serve as policy recommendations and solutions to national challenges, particularly those related to globalization and technological disruption that erode religious and cultural values.
He stressed the importance of preserving national identity and character, a shared responsibility in which the MDGB PTN-BH plays a critical role in achieving national progress without sacrificing Indonesia’s identity.
Meanwhile, USU Board of Trustees Chair, Drs. Panusunan Pasaribu, M.M., expressed full support for the efforts of the Rector and academic community to elevate educational quality and foster national unity through strategic forums such as this.
As the event concluded, participants took part in a cultural tour to Huta Siallagan, a cultural village on Samosir Island. The 11 universities classified as PTN-BH are ITB, UGM, IPB, UI, UPI, USU, UNAIR, UNPAD, UNDIP, UNHAS, and ITS.
(Public Relations)
