26 May 2026
Raisha Andini
Medan, 25 May 2026 — Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) continues to strengthen its international academic network through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with International University – Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City. The event, held at the Equity Room on the 3rd Floor of the USU Rectorate Building, marked a strategic step in expanding global collaboration in education, research, and scientific publications.
This collaboration is part of the implementation of the Equity Program: Collaborative Research to Enhance the International Research Network (IRN) with partners from International University – Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, represented by Nhat Tan Pham, Ph.D., under the research title “The Role of Distinctiveness in Sustainable Tourism: A Case Study of Tangkahan, Langkat, Indonesia.” The program is expected to strengthen international research networks while producing impactful academic outputs.
Representing International University – Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City was Nhat Tan Pham, Ph.D. Meanwhile, representatives from Universitas Sumatera Utara included Vice Rector III, Himsar Ambarita, Director of the Directorate of Cooperation and Internationalization, Dewi Masyithah Darlan, Head of the USU Center of Excellence for Sustainable Tourism, Nurlisa Ginting, and Cooperation Manager, Amalia Meutia.
The activity began with a brief presentation about the International University and its School of Business delivered by Nhat Tan Pham, Ph.D., who explained the institution’s profile, academic development focus, and opportunities for international collaboration with USU.
Following the presentation session, both institutions continued discussions regarding strategic cooperation opportunities that could be implemented in the future. During the discussion, Himsar Ambarita highlighted the importance of strengthening collaboration in joint research and joint publications to reinforce international academic networks, improve research quality, and accelerate publications in reputable national and international journals.
The event then continued with the signing and initialing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two institutions, followed by a group photo session as a symbol of commitment to strengthening international cooperation.
Himsar Ambarita stated that international collaboration is an important step in improving academic quality and university competitiveness.
“International collaborations like this are very important for expanding global academic networks. We hope the collaboration with International University – VNU-HCM will produce high-quality joint research, strengthen scientific publications, and open broader opportunities for knowledge exchange for lecturers and students,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nhat Tan Pham, Ph.D., expressed appreciation for USU’s warm welcome and commitment to building long-term collaboration.
“We see Universitas Sumatera Utara as a potential partner in developing research and academic cooperation in Southeast Asia. Through this MoU, we hope to establish productive collaboration, particularly in research, scientific publications, and the development of international academic programs,” he stated.
Through the signing of this MoU, both institutions are expected to strengthen synergy in the development of higher education, collaborative research, and the enhancement of academic reputation at the international level.
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