Medan, August 10, 2026 – The Faculty of Vocational Education, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), continues to strengthen the role of higher education institutions in producing impactful research and innovation while supporting sustainable development. This commitment was demonstrated through the SDGs Socialization to Support THE Impact Rankings and Socialization and Proposal Development for Downstreaming Grants Funded by the Ministry, held on Monday, August 10, 2026, at the Faculty of Vocational Education USU Hall. The activities were attended by the Vice Deans of the Faculty of Vocational Education USU, speakers, the Director and Secretary of the Directorate of Innovation, Sustainable Development and Science and Technology Areas, as well as homebase lecturers from the Faculty of Vocational Education USU.
The activities began with remarks from the Director of the Directorate of Innovation, Sustainable Development and Science and Technology Areas, Prof. Dr. Ir. Noverita Sprinse Vinolina, M.P. In her remarks, she emphasized the importance of strengthening synergy and collaboration to promote innovation, the downstreaming of research outputs, and the implementation of sustainable development initiatives within higher education institutions.
The event was subsequently opened by the Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Internationalization of the Faculty of Vocational Education USU, Junedi Ginting, S.Si., M.Si. The opening underscored the Faculty of Vocational Education’s commitment to enhancing lecturers’ capacity to conduct research that not only has academic value but also has the potential to be further developed and provide tangible benefits to society and industry.
The first session featured Dr. Ir. Rahmi Meilina Sari, S.T., MM(T)., Manager of SDGs and Science and Technology Areas (KST), who delivered a presentation on SDGs Socialization to Support THE Impact Rankings. The session provided lecturers with an understanding of the importance of integrating Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) principles into various aspects of the university’s tridharma activities.
The implementation of SDGs in higher education is not limited to carrying out sustainability-oriented programs but also involves identifying, documenting, and measuring the contributions generated by these initiatives. This serves as an important component in strengthening USU’s contribution to achieving the SDGs while supporting its participation in THE Impact Rankings.
The next session featured Imam Bagus Sumantri, S.Farm., M.Si., Apt., Manager of Innovation and Incubation, who delivered a presentation on Socialization and Proposal Development for Downstreaming Grants Funded by the Ministry. During the session, lecturers received information on downstreaming funding opportunities and strategies for preparing competitive grant proposals. The downstreaming of research results is a strategic step toward transforming research outputs into innovations that provide practical value and generate broader impacts for society, businesses, and industries.
Both sessions were conducted interactively and followed by question-and-answer sessions. Homebase lecturers from the Faculty of Vocational Education took the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers in discussions on funding opportunities, grant proposal development, research and innovation development, and the implementation of SDGs within tridharma activities.
Through these activities, the Faculty of Vocational Education USU is expected to further enhance lecturers’ capacity to utilize research funding and downstreaming opportunities while strengthening the faculty’s contribution to achieving the SDGs. Synergy among research, innovation, downstreaming, and sustainable development is expected to strengthen USU’s competitiveness and increase the positive impact of higher education on society.
The activities concluded with the hope that the knowledge and insights gained would be followed up through the preparation of grant proposals, the development of research and innovation outputs, and the strengthening of various programs supporting SDG achievement and USU’s contribution to THE Impact Rankings.