USU Rector Professor Muryanto Amin said raising publication quality is a priority because, although more than half of the university’s lecturers have published in Scopus-indexed journals, many are not lead authors.
He called on faculty members to collaborate more closely and improve their visibility in academic circles, according to the university’s website that ANTARA accessed here Wednesday.
He said professors play a critical role in making USU a hub of innovation and learning that can contribute nationally and internationally, with the long-term goal of joining the world’s top 500 universities.
Addressing an open senate session earlier this week, Muryanto said the sharp rise in the number of professors demonstrates USU’s commitment to strengthening research, innovation and its role in global academia.
The number of professors increased from 103 in 2021 to 208 this year, he said.
The six new professors include Aulia Ishak of the engineering faculty; Riswanti Sigalingging of agriculture; Sutarman of mathematics and natural sciences; Mariani Br. Sembiring of agriculture; Sumaiyah of pharmacy; and Luhut Sihombing of agriculture.
Muryanto said the inauguration ceremony represented more than an academic ritual, describing professors as drivers of competitiveness at both national and international levels.
He urged senior academics to mentor younger lecturers, noting that while 59 percent of USU’s 1,797 lecturers have led research projects, many others have not.
Environmental science is the most popular research focus at USU, followed by pharmacy, social sciences, agriculture and biology.
Muryanto said research must go beyond publications and generate tangible benefits. He added that consistent and relevant research would support economic growth when aligned with the needs of society and industry.
USU is one of Indonesia's public universities, whose foundation was initiated by the North Sumatra governor on June 4, 1952, to cater to the requirements of the province's locals.
However, it was Indonesia's first president Soekarno, who had officially inaugurated USU as a public university on November 20, 1957.
Thus, USU has turned out to be Indonesia's seventh public university.
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Reporter: Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Primayanti
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