The United States Ambassador to Indonesia, CDA Amb. Peter Haymond, visited Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) to hold discussions on education. He was welcomed directly by UMSU Rector, Prof. Dr. Agussani, MAP, accompanied by Vice Rector III, Dr. Rudianto, M.Si, on Monday (29/9) in the VIP Room at the UMSU Campus, Jalan Muchtar Basri No. 3, Medan.
During the visit, Ambassador Haymond was accompanied by the U.S. Consul General in Medan, Lisa Podolny, along with several embassy staff members, including Tina Bucton (CDA Staff Assistant), Joshua Gonzalez (Public Affairs Officer), and Bimo as interpreter.
The meeting took place warmly, covering discussions about UMSU’s profile, the geographic distribution of its students, the state of education in Indonesia, and opportunities for international collaboration.
In the discussion, Ambassador Haymond expressed interest in learning more about UMSU’s profile and the origins of its students, both by province and by country. He also highlighted Indonesia’s great potential—especially in Medan—in the agriculture sector, although he noted that development is still hindered by limited technology.
The meeting also addressed scholarship opportunities in the United States, which are highly sought after by Indonesian students. Despite the main challenge being the high cost of education, Ambassador Haymond emphasized that the quality of education offered is well worth the investment.
“Studying in the United States does require significant financial resources, but the academic experience and knowledge gained are extremely valuable for students’ futures,” he affirmed.
Earlier, Rector Prof. Agussani, accompanied by Vice Rector III Dr. Rudianto, highlighted the diverse backgrounds of students studying at UMSU.
“UMSU students come from various regions across North Sumatra and other provinces such as Aceh, West Sumatra, Jambi, Riau, West Java, and even Kalimantan. We also have international students who choose UMSU as their place of study,” the Rector explained.
UMSU’s international students come from a range of countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Mali, Sudan, Yemen, Pakistan, Cambodia, Thailand, Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Ghana.
The meeting between the U.S. Ambassador and UMSU leadership is expected to open doors for further collaboration, particularly in the fields of education and human resource development.
