The UPM delegation consisted of 19 students, accompanied by academic representatives, including Prof. Madya Dr. Mohd Rusli Yacob, Dr. Mohd Yusoff Ishak, Dr. Syazwani Sahrir, Norhanila Mardi, Fatin Abdul Rahman, and Mohd Zamani Ismail. The program was designed to strengthen academic and cultural ties between the two universities while providing UPM students with hands-on experiences regarding the educational system and the diverse environment of North Sumatra.
The first day's activities began with a visit to USU's Bekala Campus, where the delegation met with the dean and toured the facilities to learn more about academic activities on campus. Following this, they returned to USU's Main Campus to meet with the Internationalization and Global Partnership team. The group also had the opportunity to explore USU's Integrated Laboratory and conducted water sampling at Babura River for water quality analysis.
On the second day, the UPM delegation traveled to iconic tourist destinations in North Sumatra, including the Elephant Center Aek Nauli and Lake Toba. This activity was designed not only for recreation but also to introduce local natural and cultural wealth to the students. The delegation stayed overnight at Khas Hotel before returning to Malaysia the next day.
In his speech, Prof. Himsar Ambarita expressed his hopes that this program would strengthen academic relations between USU and UPM. “We are delighted to welcome the UPM delegation. Programs like this not only offer academic benefits but also serve as a bridge to strengthen cultural ties and broader collaborations, particularly in research,” he stated.
Arif Nuryawan, S.Hut., M.Si., Ph.D., also extended collaboration offers to UPM, including research collaboration, staff exchange, summer courses, and community service. “For further collaboration, we see great potential between USU and UPM in areas such as joint research, staff exchanges, summer courses, and community service programs,” he added.
Through this program, USU hopes that its collaboration with UPM will continue to grow, covering various academic and research fields that benefit both parties. The event also demonstrated USU's commitment to expanding its international network and promoting North Sumatra as a destination for education and culture.