The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) of Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) once again reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening academic internationalization through the organization of an International Summer Course entitled “Empowerment Practices for Disadvantaged People.” The activity took place from September 4–16, 2023, and was attended by participants from various countries.
This prestigious program was organized by the Social Welfare Study Program of FISIP USU as part of the Academic Internationalization Grant of Universitas Sumatera Utara. Husni Thamrin, S.Sos., MSP, was appointed as the Program Chair. This International Summer Course was designed to introduce USU’s academic excellence to the global community while simultaneously building cross-national scholarly networks, particularly on issues related to the empowerment of disadvantaged and marginalized groups.
The activity was attended by dozens of international and national participants from at least seven countries, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Pakistan, India, China, Iran, and Ukraine, in addition to participants from various universities in Indonesia. This diversity of backgrounds created a dynamic and collaborative multicultural academic atmosphere.
The series of activities was divided into two main agendas, namely international lectures and field visits. During the lecture sessions, participants received materials from internationally reputable academics, including Associate Prof. Dr. Paramjit Singh Jamir Singh (Universiti Sains Malaysia), Dr. Mohd Haizzan Yahaya (Universiti Sains Malaysia), and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ratna Roshida binti AB Razak (Universiti Putra Malaysia).
The materials delivered covered advocacy and empowerment practices in social work, social research, as well as the philosophy of welfare and the development of civilization. Meanwhile, the field visit activities were carried out at several strategic locations in North Sumatra, such as Bandar Pasir Mandoge, Lake Toba–Samosir, Medan, and Berastagi. In this agenda, participants conducted field observations, discussions with local communities, and mini-research to directly examine community empowerment practices.
In addition to academic and cultural experiences, the program also targeted concrete outputs, including the strengthening of international cooperation networks, the involvement of foreign lecturers in the Tridharma of Higher Education, and joint scientific publications between USU lecturers and international academics.
The Chair of the International Summer Course, Husni Thamrin, S.Sos., MSP, emphasized that this program was designed not only as a short-term academic activity, but also as a long-term investment for USU’s global reputation. “Through this International Summer Course, we aim to build a shared learning space that brings together global and local perspectives, while also encouraging the emergence of international research collaborations and publications in the field of social welfare,” Husni stated. He added that the successful implementation of this program demonstrated FISIP USU’s readiness to manage international-scale academic activities. “The participation of participants from various countries is evidence that USU is increasingly trusted as an international learning destination, particularly in the study of community empowerment and humanitarian issues,” he added.
With the successful implementation of the International Summer Course 2023, FISIP USU strengthened its position as one of the faculties actively supporting Universitas Sumatera Utara’s vision as a barometer of global knowledge, while also making tangible contributions to the development of social sciences oriented toward justice and social welfare.