Direct Involvement in, or Input Into, National Government or Regional Nongovernment Oganisations SDG Policy Development - Including Identifying Problems and Challenges, Developing Policies and Strategies, Modelling Likely Futures With and Without Interventions, Monitoring and Reporting on Interventions, and Enabling Adaptive Management
Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) has contributed to the government's efforts to achieve the SDGs by 2030. The SDGs Center at USU was formally inaugurated on May 18, 2021. In its role as a representative university, this organization helps Indonesia reach its sustainable development goals. Tthe SDGs Center of USU collaborates with the government, business institutions, philanthropic organizations, other universities, non-governmental organizations, and other parties in conducting research and providing community services to expedite the attainment of the SDGs Targets in Indonesia. USU has also established SDGs Center website to report all activities of USU regarding the achievements of SDGs Target (https://sdgs.usu.ac.id/) Basically, the activities of the SDGs Center of USU are assisting the government of Indonesia in achieving SDGs Goals i.e. compiling the Regional Action Plan of SDGs Goals in North Sumatra Province and local governments; assembling documents of monitoring and evaluation of the achievement of SDGs Targets in North Sumatra Province and local governments; and conducting researches and social activities in addition to conferences, seminars, and workshops related to SDGs goals achievement. The SDGs Center at USU monitors and evaluates the achievement of SDGs indicators in Indonesia and North Sumatra Province. Subsequently, USU establishes the theme of research and community service that lecturers will conduct the following year in relation to the most pressing SDGs achievement issues in Indonesia and North Sumatra Province. Research and community services involve the government, non-governmental organizations, private sector, and the community. The government incorporates the outcomes of these activities into a policy of the SDGs Regional Action Plan, which includes a variety of programs and activities. On the other hand, NGOs, philanthropy, business, and the community have conducted activities to support the SDGs. Each year, the SDGs Center of USU, the government, NGOs, philanthropists, and community leaders monitor and evaluate activities that support the attainment of SDG indicators.
Initiate and Participate in Cross-Sectoral Dialogue About The SDGs
USU has initiated and engaged in dialogues across sectors with universities and organizations around the country and the world. The Indonesian SDGs Secretariat, the SDGs Office for North Sumatra Province, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and other institutions worked with USU to host a series of webinars and dialogues in 2021. During these conversations, we talked about the progress being made in North Sumatra Provinces toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the metrics that measure progress toward those goals. On the other hand, USU also has collaborated with several overseas and domestic universities on research, community service and teaching quality improvement activities related to the achievement of sustainable development goals.
Participate in International Collaboration on Gathering or Measuring Data for The SDGs
USU collaborated with United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) to serve as a trainer for training local government staff in developing local action plan documents for sustainable development goals. Thus, it is expected that local governments can collect data related to SDGs indicators. In addition, USU together with UCLG ASPAC conducted training on monitoring and evaluating the achievement of SDGs indicators at the local level. Thus, the regions can evaluate the lagging of SDGs indicators and conduct acceleration programs to catch up on those indicators.
Through international collaboration and research, review comparative approaches and develop international best practice on tackling the SDGs
USU has established international cooperation with foreign universities and institutions in order to collect data for SDGs. USU encourages researchers to collaborate with researchers from abroad to realize themselves as one of the world class universities in Indonesia. Research collaboration related to SDGs was carried out by a USU medical faculty lecturer, Rahayu Lubis, who collaborated with researchers from Taiwan, Malaysia and several campuses in Indonesia to conduct a cross-sectional study of the spread of Covid-19. Other USU researchers, Iskadar Zulkarnain, Robert Sibarani and Raras Sutatminingsih collaborated with researchers from several Malaysian universities and the Malaysian Counseling and Psychology Association regarding self-disclosure of Indonesian and Malaysian Society Related to Covid-19. Another USU researcher, Robert Sibarani, collaborated with Japanese researchers from Tohoku University, Japan to conduct research on the schematic structure of folk discourses of Toba Caldera Geosites as the Collective Memory for Tourist Destinations at Lake Toba.
The University of North Sumatra reaches out to several international institutions to support the achievement of SDGs targets such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG ASPAC) and several domestic and foreign universities. . Regarding the availability of quality drinking water and sanitation, USU collaborates with USAID and Indonesia Urban Water, Sanitation and Environmental Hygiene for All (IUWASH PLUS) in increasing access to drinking water and sanitation as well as improving hygiene behavior for education in the city of Medan. USU collaborates with JICA and the National Secretariat of the SDGs of Bappenas RI in assisting the preparation and evaluation of SDGs targets for North Sumatra Province. In addition, USU collaborates with UCLG ASPAC in providing training and assistance for planners in the regions who prepare action plan documents for SDGs organizers.
Indicate If Your University Publishes Progress Against SDG1
USU performs research and community service linked to SDG 1 on a regular basis. In the research section, USU researchers focus on the economic utilization of mangrove forests in reducing poverty in North Sumatra. In addition, other research conducted to reduce poverty in North Sumatra is the socio-economic empowerment of coastal communities, organizing farming communities, and village development efforts on the poorest island, West Nias. A total of 10 researches were conducted with the amount of funds spent as much as 434 million rupiah. Meanwhile, in the community service section, USU lecturers educate and empower communities to run health drink businesses. Another activity is empowering the women's community on the north coast of Medan City so that they can increase family income. With these activities, it is expected that there will be a decrease in the number of poor people in North Sumatra. The amount of funds spent by USU for community service and researches related to SDGs 1, No Poverty, amounted to 501 million rupiah.
USU often performs community service and research in support of SDG2: Zero Hunger. In order to boost food production and security, a number of USU academics and students perform research employing technology and the use of locally accessible raw materials. This year, USU has invested 534 million rupiah on these studies. In addition, USU has provided a variety of community services by teaching the locals how to grow food items on their property and raise fish and poultry to suit their requirements. Tools are also made available to promote food production activities that might boost family food security and offer economic value. This year, USU contributed 530 million rupiah to the cost of this volunteer project. USU collaborates with local governments to provide food for malnourished communities. These activities have had a good impact on improving public health and reducing the number of stunting cases in North Sumatra.
Indicate If Your University Publishes Progress Against SDG3
The academic community may support efforts to promote health and prevent various diseases by making a variety of advances. Therefore, one of the directions of health policy is focused on hastening the improvement of community nutrition. USU has worked with stakeholders to strengthen basic health services (Primary Health Care), increase advocacy and preventive efforts, and is supported by innovation and utilization of technology. USU also makes a contribution to studies on newborn health, stopping the spread of Covid-19, avoiding food poisoning, health education, building up the infrastructure for health, and self-care interventions for health. USU spends 18 billion rupiah annually on a variety of research projects as well as volunteer work. As an intellectual hub, USU significantly contributes to the advancement of health, particularly in the areas of policy development, implementation, and monitoring. Numerous scientific articles written by USU professors and students are printed in recognized periodicals like Scopus, Emerald, and others.
USU, as a center for the advancement of science, knowledge, and technology, creates graduates who will play an active part in advancing and improving the quality of education in the future. USU has worked with numerous institutions on both a national and worldwide scale to improve the quality of human resources. USU conducts research on the use of technology to support learning activities and then integrates it in existing schools. A number of lecturers and students participate in activities to enhance the advancement of the learning process throughout Indonesia through the "Kampus Merdeka" program. USU also conducts several community service activities in the field of education, such as the delivery of equipment to support learning activities and effective teaching techniques both within the country and in other countries, such as Malaysia, where many Indonesians live and lack access to proper educational services. USU spends 2 billion rupiah per year on research and community services to support these activities.
Indicate If Your University Publishes Progress Against SDG5
"One of the challenges in implementing gender equality is the understanding of the community at all levels. In fact, gender equality strategies are needed to ensure that all levels of society, both men and women, boys, girls, people with disabilities, the elderly and other vulnerable groups can be involved in the development process. Therefore, universities need to play a role in socializing the understanding of gender equality and justice. There are some interesting findings in the Worldbank 2020 report on gender equality in Indonesia. One of them is the paradox that although Indonesian women have access to education (high education participation rate), it does not continue with the high participation of women in economic activities. Several factors contribute to low gender equality, including the early age of marriage and the unequal division of childcare responsibilities. The report also mentions structural factors such as many women working in the informal sector and low productivity economic activities. To overcome this, USU conducted a number of studies related to the factors causing the suboptimal implementation of gender equality in Indonesia. The results of the research are implemented by USU lecturers and students to carry out activities that can increase the role of women in the family economy. A number of trainings related to improving skills in producing goods and services in order to increase women's participation to increase household income. This year, USU has funded research and community service activities of around 530 million rupiah in order to increase gender equality in Indonesia. "
The Central Bureau of Statistics states that the achievement of access to clean water in Indonesia has only reached 72.55%, below the SDGs target of 100%. Water for Sanitary Hygiene Purposes is water of a certain quality used for daily purposes whose quality is different from the quality of drinking water. A number of communities in North Sumatra, especially in remote areas, still utilize water that does not meet health requirements. Most residents are not well informed about the use of clean water. In addition, with economic limitations, the fulfillment of clean water needs is ignored. In an effort to increase the knowledge of residents and at the same time increase the coverage of clean water, it is necessary to carry out community service through socialization about clean water and making simple clean water filters. USU has conducted a number of studies related to clean water supply. By utilizing technology and the availability of surrounding resources, USU researchers have produced the availability of clean water for the community at low cost. To implement these findings, USU lecturers and students have conducted a number of research projects. The research findings from USU lecturers and students are implemented in community service activities. The provision of guaranteed clean drinking water sources for the community and the development of proper sanitation are the targets of community service activities. This year, USU has spent around 721 million rupiah to provide drinking water and proper sanitation for people in need.
Indicate If Your University Publishes Progress Against SDG7
USU has implemented the "Bioenergy Goes to Campus" activity since 2019. The activity is one of USU's efforts to develop the potential, technology and utilization of Bioenergy in general, as well as support government policies related to bioenergy in Indonesia. North Sumatra is one of the provinces that contributes the largest bioenergy generation in Indonesia, given the many sources of bioenergy such as oil palm plantations. The university's support is shown by the involvement of USU lecturers and students in a number of studies. USU's involvement is shown in the research conducted by Professor Irfan related to B20 which is funded by the Palm Oil Fund Management Agency. Then, several other lecturers are also doing researches the use of waste liquid materials. Next year, USU will open a palm oil study program, which is believed to also have an important role in the use of new renewable energy. This year, USU has spent 2.3 billion rupiah on research activities related to renewable energy and some of the research results have been implemented in community service activities by building electricity installations derived from bioenergy.
HIGHER EDUCATION has a big role to play in contributing to improving people's lives. Higher Education is one of the important institutions to build the foundation of the Indonesian economy, therefore graduates from universities need to improve in building good quality human resources and contribute to the creation of technology that can support the improvement of community welfare. USU has an important role in increasing community income through research and community service activities, especially supporting micro and small businesses in Indonesia. A number of studies were conducted by USU lecturers and students related to effective and efficient production techniques for goods and services. In addition, research is also carried out related to the best marketing techniques by utilizing information technology to further increase the marketing reach of goods produced by micro and small businesses. These findings are then implemented in community service activities through training and delivery of tools and technology assistance, in order to increase business capacity, increase family income, entrepreneurship skills, and business innovation. USU has spent 8 billion rupiah to support the achievement of SDGs 8, and all of these activities have contributed to increasing the income of the people involved in USU's research and community service activities.
Indicate If Your University Publishes Progress Against SDG9
University has an important role in contributing to the acceleration of national development through the availability of human resources who can innovate in infrastructure development. USU has conducted a number of research and development activities related to innovation for better infrastructure provision in Indonesia. USU has better supported the achievement of SDGs 9 through a number of research activities related to production innovation, infrastructure development innovation using appropriate technology, and the use of information technology to increase efficiency in production activities. Furthermore, USU lecturers and students are directly involved in community service activities to build infrastructure in villages and remote areas, and contribute to increasing the availability of infrastructure and ultimately increasing the income of rural communities. This year, USU has spent 11.1 billion rupiah for infrastructure improvement and innovation in Indonesia.
Academics on campus are encouraged to assist the government in solving various economic problems. Through various efforts, the role of lecturers and students is expected to overcome social inequality in society. In an effort to overcome inequality in the village, USU has taken a role by assisting and empowering the potential of the villages. USU collaborates with local governments, NGOs and communities to provide basic infrastructure that can create and increase economic activities in the village.
Indicate If Your University Publishes Progress Against SDG11
Universities and stakeholders collaborate to realize the sustanable citiy because it plays a role in increasing productivity and economic competitiveness. A city is stated to be a sustanable city if it has characteristics such as resilient, efficient, sustainable, ecofriendly, and liveable USU has declared as a green campus by ensuring that the construction in each faculty meets the Green Campus principles and environmentally friendly facilities for lecturers and students to use. The development of facilities on the USU campus by providing parks that can be used as open classrooms for students, discussing, and creating a new atmosphere that is comfortable, neat and clean. USU has invested 2.3 billion rupiah in suppoting SDGs 11, sustainable city, with conducting related research and volunteer work on environmental challenges, flooding, trash management, and waste,.USU has worked with a variety of stakeholders, particularly local governments, and business to handle the environmental issues that contributed to sustanainable city.
Universities have a big contribution to maintain the balance of nature and protect the environment. This role is realized by innovations through research produced by the campus by processing waste appropriately, and recycling waste or household waste to reduce the impact of environmental pollution. USU has conducted a number of researches related to SDGs goal 12, responsible consumption and production. Studies of lecturers and students related to reducing the use of hazardous chemicals that can pollute the environment, such as pesticides and detergents are not environmentally friendly, the use of waste to produce goods of economic value or what is currently known as circular economy, and other production activities are environmentally friendly. USU also declared itself as a green campus, considering that all activities on campus are based on the principle of using resources appropriately, efficiently and not polluting the environment. To reduce dependence on fossil fuels, USU directs all students to use public transportation and prepares commuter buses that take each student to his or her destination on campus. USU collaborates with USAID to provide campus bicycles. USU is also working with GRAB, an online transportation company, to provide electric motorcycles for operational activities on campus. To better support the achievement of SDGs No 12, USU has provided funds of 6.7 billion rupiah through research and community service activities.
Indicate If Your University Publishes Progress Against SDG15
SDG 15 directs efforts to protect, restore and increase the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, manage forests sustainably, stop desertification, restore land degradation, and stop biodiversity loss. To preserve forests, USU has a forestry faculty that plays an important role in producing quality human resources in preserving forests. In addition, a number of studies in order to support the utilization of sustainable forest products, forest conservation, forest management, efforts to prevent forest fires and maintain forest sustainability have been carried out by USU lecturers and students. In order to identify and analyze changes in land use change, USU conducted a mapping study on land cover change in North Sumatra. Furthermore, USU provides recommendations to the government and socialization to the community to preserve forests. USU has funded research and community service activities amounting to 1.7 billion to maintain the land ecosystem in a sustainable manner.
SDGs 16 is a goal that is a key prerequisite for the achievement of all goals in Sustainable Development. Goal 16 seeks to strengthen inclusive and peaceful societies (Peace), realize the enforcement of justice (Justice) by providing access to justice for all, and build strong institutions. In any civilization, peacefulness or non-violence culture could be the ultimate end of human life. It contains human right principles to be achieved by community, civics, and nation. However, in reality, the situation achieved is diametrically in the opposite to what is expected where competition, contravention and social conflict arises very sharply unless a constructive conflict management is applied. The potentiality of social conflict to occur may be reduced to a tolerable rate when constructive dialogues can be built. The dialogues should be able to facilitate the development of convergence communication and the actualization of equality principles. Higher education processes will be one of the most important institutions that could bring the actualization of the principles of peacefulness into reality. This could be true when education could assure the effectiveness of value transformation processes throughout generations. USU has conducted a number of programs that can maintain a peaceful campus environment, without conflict and build a sense of kinship among all academicians. USU through lecturers and students conducts research and community service to analyze the development of social conflict symptoms and offer recommendations for overcoming social conflict. A full understanding of the law and law enforcement is prioritized by USU lecturers and students through community service activities. As a result, North Sumatra is currently the safest province, and there has never been a social conflict. This year, USU has spent around 5 billion rupiah to increase the sense of security and comfort to support the achievement of all targets in the SDGs.
Indicate If Your University Publishes Progress Against SDG17
SDGs 17 is basically a means of implementation and revitalizes global partnerships to realize SDGs targets. Regarding the achievement of SDGs 17, USU has made many partnerships to achieve SDGs in collaboration with the Government, Business, Philanthropy, NGOs and other universities in the world. Currently, USU is preparing to internationalize so that USU becomes one of the international quality universities and provides opportunities for the world community to develop education through learning opportunities and becoming teaching staff. For this reason, USU has established partnerships with universities abroad in order to improve the quality of learning, research and community service. To date, USU has established cooperation with 350 institutions both with the government, domestic and foreign universities as well as business institutions and NGOs. The cooperation is realized through partnerships in research and community service.
Commitment to Meaningful Education Around the SDGs Across The University, That is Relevant and Applicable to All Students?
As part of its strong commitment to support the achievement of the SDGs, USU also organizes community service and research based on the 17 Goals in the SDGs every year by budgeting funds of more than 60 billion per year. These activities involve not only lecturers but also USU students. USU has established a number of institutions as a form of USU's commitment to supporting the achievement of SDGs. These institutions include the USU SDGs Center, PUI Mangrove, PUI Lake Toba, the Malacca Strait Study Center and a number of other faculty-level institutions. These institutions collaborate with other domestic and international universities, governments, businesses and NGOs to support the achievement of several SDGs. SDGs Center USU collaborates with the National Secretariat of SDGs, other SDGs Center institutions, government, NGOs such as JICA, in preparing national action plans and regional action plans, in achieving SDGs targets. In addition, the SDGs Center USU also conducts monitoring and evaluation and provides assistance and capacity building for sustainable development planning staff at the regional level. In carrying out its activities, USU not only involves lecturers and education personnel, but also involves students. The goal is that USU students also have knowledge, understanding and concern regarding the SDGs and the targets that must be achieved by 2030. Currently, USU is preparing to select students to become SDGs Ambassadors. In addition, a number of courses have also been prepared by study programs at USU that support SDGs. Seminars and workshops related to issues in SDGs are also carried out to increase students' understanding and concern for utilizing knowledge and technology in preserving nature, environmentally sound development and social care in accordance with the SDGs principle of no one left behind.
Dedicated Courses (Full Degrees, or Electives) That Address Sustainability and The SDGs
USU already has several study programs related to SDGs. In the undergraduate program USU has established environmental engineering, agribusiness, food technology, water resources management, and forestry study programs. At the post-graduate level USU has a Village Regional Development or Pembangunan Wilayah Perdesaaan (PWD) Study Program, and Natural Resources and Environmental Management or Pengelolaan Sumber Daya Alam dan Lingkungan (PSL). Several study programs at USU also have courses related to SDGs. In the development economics study program, a Sustainable Development course has been developed. In this course, students learn about the concept of green economy, sustainable development for future generations, and how to manage natural resources and the environment while maintaining environmental quality. In addition, the faculty of agriculture, faculty of forestry, and faculty of engineering have courses related to natural resource management and the environment.
Dedicated Outreach Educational Activities For The Wider Community, Which Could Include Alumni, Local Residents, Displaced People
For decades, USU has dedicated oSU has built media for public learning thrutresearch educational activities to the larger community, including alumni, local residents, and displaced individuals. This activity began in the 1990s, when USU envisioned itself as an educational institution that offers industrial demands ranging from human resources to production techniques, marketing, and business management. USU is dedicated to building community skills through a learning system that can be completed anywhere. The Covid-19 epidemic, which necessitates an online learning system, is not an impediment to USU's active participation in activities that support all community activities. With the help of alumni, partners, the government, the media, and other parties. Currently, Uough USU TV, E-learning and the USU library repository. In addition, the study program also has its own media such as social media (facebook, instagram, tiktok) to provide information on the development of activities and knowledge for the community.
