Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara held a summer course on coffee story 2022 in collaboration with Syiah Kuala University Aceh and the Dairi District Government, Monday (29/8).
The activity was opened directly by the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia, Dr. H. Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, MBA attended by Regent Dairi Dr. Eddy Keleng Ate Berutu, Chancellor of UMSU represented by Vice Chancellor III Assoc. Prof. Dr. Rudianto M.Si, Rector of Syiah Kuala University Prof. Dr. Ir. Marwan, Chairman of OIC UMSU Rafieqah Nalar Rizqy, MA, UMSU Academic Community, and participants from the USA, the Philippines, Malaysia, Pakistan and Indonesia.
Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno appreciated UMSU, USK and the Dairi Regency Government for collaborating to encourage the development of potential-based MSMEs owned by the region, one of which is coffee-based products. The collaboration between UMSU – USK and the Dairi Regency Government is a strategic collaboration that deserves appreciation because it can create the cultural and economic potential of the location to become international.
Currently, there has been a new trend, or a new lifestyle in the community, namely drinking coffee in the morning, afternoon, even at night, so coffee has become a part of our lives, and from these statistics we know that Indonesian coffee production has reached almost 775,000 tons. in 2022.
Vice Chancellor 3 Dr. Rudianto M.Si expressed his pride in implementing this activity. And also appreciate all the organizing committee who have worked hard to make the event a success by collaborating with Syiah Kuala University and the Dairi district government so that they can present the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy of Indonesia, Dr. H. Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, MBA and participants from various countries.
This activity is expected to provide benefits for all participants and related to all forms of information and specific knowledge about coffee and everything related to the theme of the activities to be carried out. Furthermore, this activity also aims to build friendship between us so that we know each other better as different nations on earth, but we have the same taste in terms of enjoying coffee so that we can create harmony and live respectfully with our cultural differences.
Thank you for being willing to spend the week together, learning and sharing knowledge about coffee. Of course, he said coffee and all the stories of human life that glorify it in Lake Toba, North Sumatra, Indonesia.
In his speech, Regent of Dairi Dr. Eddy Keleng Ate Berutu hoped that the students participating in the summer course could come to Indonesia so that they could enjoy the natural beauty of Dairi. And can provide input to the Dairi Regency Government regarding strategies and what things can be done to continue to develop Dairi coffee and tourism and entrepreneurship in Dairi Regency.
He said that the problem with coffee production is that so far we have only shipped green beans, while the very high price in the world is roasted beans. This roasted bean returns to Indonesia, Asia, and the rest of the world at price tens or even hundreds of times when it is ready to be served.
So this is a challenge for us. So, therefore it is hoped that with the increase in production, our quality must continue to be improved, as well as the trading system so that we can start exporting roasted beans in the future. And of course, through this activity, we need contributions from the participants and university members in the context of the Penta helix we need “what should we do?” what to do, what method, how is the visibility study, what kind of business prototype? He added.
Chairman of OIC UMSU Rafieqah said the summer course on coffee story 2022 was held virtually for 6 days, from August 29 to September 2022. With the theme Ecopreneurship, Culture And Tourism From Geopark Of Toba Lake. It was attended by 40 participants from the USA, the Philippines, Malaysia, Pakistan and Indonesia.
He said that the UMSU Summer Course activities had been delayed during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020-2021. The first summer course activity was carried out in 2018 in collaboration with the Islamic University of Indonesia with the theme “Summer Course On Coffee, Entrepreneurship And Culture”. Furthermore, in 2019 UMSU again held a summer course in collaboration with the University of North Sumatra with the theme “Managing Dengue In Southeast Asia and Influence Of Traditional Medicines”.
