The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) held a public lecture titled Expert Talk: “Indonesia’s 2026 Economic Outlook: Economic Growth Strategies amid Global Uncertainty” at the Campus Auditorium on Jalan Muchtar Basri No. 3, Medan, on Tuesday (December 8).
The event was officially opened by the Rector of UMSU, Prof. Agussani, M.A.P., represented by Vice Rector I, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Arifin, M.Hum. The keynote speaker was the Rector of Perbanas Institute, Prof. Dr. Hermanto Siregar, Ph.D., who is also a Professor of Economics and a member of the economic expert team of former President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY).
In his presentation, Prof. Hermanto stated that Indonesia’s economic growth reaching 8 percent is possible, but not in the near term, as it would require new strategies and alternative sources of growth.
“If Indonesia wants truly extraordinary economic development, it must find new sources of growth,” he said.
He also emphasized the importance of downstream industrialization, while stressing the need to balance it with environmental sustainability. “Mining downstreaming contributes to economic growth, but it can damage the environment. Therefore, even if the growth potential is significant, environmental destruction must be avoided,” he asserted.
During the talk show session, moderated by the Head of the Development Economics Study Program, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Andi Prayogi, S.E., M.Si., Prof. Hermanto highlighted four key economic aspects: the global economic outlook, the U.S. Federal Reserve’s policy responses, projections for Indonesia’s economy in 2026, and the mix of fiscal and monetary policies.
Earlier, in his opening remarks, Vice Rector I Prof. Arifin expressed hope that the event would continue on a regular basis and that the speaker’s presence would not be a one-time occasion. He also addressed current economic challenges in Indonesia.
“Economic growth experts say that Indonesia’s economy can only reach around 5–5.2 percent amid intense global competition, especially since only a few sectors currently support national economic growth, particularly in the midst of ongoing disasters,” he said.
Prof. Arifin noted that this situation could become a serious challenge, making discussions like this important to enrich students’ knowledge and understanding.
“Let us follow this discussion and information wisely. We need to pay close attention to Indonesia’s economic growth,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Dean of FEB, Dr. Radiman, M.Si., stated that 2025 will be a highly dynamic period for the national economy due to various significant changes and events.
“There are several important economic developments in 2025, including the MBG program, budget efficiency measures, the Danatara program, the Red and White Cooperative initiative, changes in the Minister of Finance, and natural disasters that will certainly disrupt Indonesia’s economy,” Radiman explained.
He added, “We want to understand how the Asa Cita program will be implemented amid the various developments taking place in Indonesia.”
The event is expected to provide strategic insights for the academic community and economic stakeholders in navigating an increasingly complex global economic landscape.
