Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) is encouraged to become a center of excellence for the development of science and technology in Sumatra.

The expectation was conveyed by the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Prof. Brian Yuliarto, S.T., M.Eng., Ph.D., during a Joint Discussion attended by USU leaders and deans on Friday evening, September 25, 2026.

According to him, USU has a strategic position to become at the forefront of science and technology development in the Sumatra region.

“In Sumatra and in Indonesia, of course USU is one of the spearheads of science and technology development,” said the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology.

According to him, the Indonesian nation, particularly Sumatra, needs more innovations and breakthroughs originating from higher education institutions. USU is expected to be able to produce excellent human resources, research products, knowledge-based policies, as well as innovations that can be downstreamed.

He said USU is not only expected to produce graduates but also to build a strong culture of innovation and intellectual culture within the campus environment.

“Our nation and Sumatra in particular certainly have high expectations for the innovations and breakthroughs possessed by USU to produce excellent human resources, research products, policies, as well as downstreaming produced by USU as the spearhead of science and technology development in Sumatra,” he said.

The Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology considered USU to have substantial resources to carry out this role.

According to him, the number of professors and doctoral degree holders at USU represents an intellectual strength that not every institution possesses. Therefore, this potential must be further developed, not only for teaching activities.

“I always see these campuses as places where the most excellent human resources in the region gather. There is no other place where such a large number of professors gather,” he said.

He encouraged USU to strengthen its direction toward becoming a research university and innovative university. According to him, the campus must be able to transform the intellectual property possessed by its academics into innovations that provide benefits and economic value.

“If a campus has succeeded in selling its research, selling its innovations, selling its intellectual property, its intellectual property rights, patents, and so on, turning them into assets of the campus, then this is a campus that enters cluster one,” he said.

According to him, higher education institutions should not stop at teaching or producing scientific articles. Research must be encouraged to develop into products, patents, startups, and technology-based industries.

He even challenged USU to begin identifying research with the potential to develop into large technology companies.

The Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology explained that deep tech industry is an industry built on mastery of science and technology. According to him, Indonesia needs such industries if it wants to significantly increase productivity and people's incomes.

He cited Nvidia as an example, which initially developed from research in graphics technology but later took an important position in the development of artificial intelligence.

“Who would have thought that research for games would 20 years later become key research for Artificial Intelligence? Nvidia never imagined that. But once it happened, they immediately took over and took that position,” he said.

According to him, this example demonstrates the importance of strong and consistent research. Research results whose economic benefits are not yet visible may become important technologies when they find the right momentum and meet industry needs.

“Consistent research, strong research, which then at the right moment makes the leap into a giant industry,” he said.

The Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology also considered that strengthening the culture of innovation at USU would have an impact not only on the university but also on North Sumatra and the surrounding region.

A campus that is strong in research and innovation, he said, can give rise to startups, new industries, and knowledge-based employment opportunities.

Therefore, he hoped that USU could take a greater role as a center of excellence or center of excellence in science and technology in Sumatra.

“PTN-BH such as USU must have the agility to seize this opportunity,” he said.

USU Prepares for Transformation

USU Rector Prof. Dr. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos., M.Si., welcomed the expectation expressed by the Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology. Prof. Muryanto said that his university had begun transforming from a teaching university toward an innovative university.

“It is indeed not easy. The ones who can make that change are ourselves, with the resources we have,” said Prof. Muryanto in front of USU leaders and deans.

According to him, USU is carrying out the transformation gradually and consistently.

“That time will come if we carry it out at USU consistently and continuously,” he said.