The Vice Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology, Fauzan, visited the development site of the Integrated Campus of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) in Saentis Village, Percut Sei Tuan District, Deli Serdang, on Wednesday (January 28).
During the visit, the Vice Minister was accompanied by UMSU Rector Prof. Dr. Agussani, M.AP.; Vice Rector I Prof. Dr. Muhammad Arifin Gultom, S.H., M.Hum.; Vice Rector II Prof. Dr. Akrim, M.Pd.; and several faculty leaders.
On the occasion, Prof. Fauzan stated that the construction of the Integrated Campus auditorium and sports hall has shown significant progress. Improvements in the surrounding area and campus access roads serve as clear indicators of ongoing development.
He described the project as active and sustainable development, referring to it as “Healthy Living” development—meaning continuous and measurable progress over time.
“This is what we call living development. There is stagnant development, half-hearted development, living development, and healthy living development. This one falls into the ‘healthy living’ category, meaning it consistently shows progress day by day, month by month,” he explained.
The Vice Minister also praised the UMSU leadership’s commitment to accelerating the construction of the 7,000-seat auditorium and the sports hall with a capacity of 2,500 visitors. According to Prof. Fauzan, the Integrated Campus is targeted for full completion by early 2027 to support the Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah Congress.
“I believe this is an extraordinary commitment, with the expectation that by early 2027 the campus will be 100 percent ready to host the Muhammadiyah and ‘Aisyiyah Congress,” he said.
Furthermore, he highlighted the campus’s strategic location within an industrial area. Although North Sumatra and UMSU are widely recognized, he noted that the Integrated Campus complex itself still needs broader public exposure.
“Many people already know North Sumatra, and many are familiar with UMSU. However, not many yet recognize this building complex, even though it is strategically located in an industrial zone,” he remarked.
According to Prof. Fauzan, UMSU’s Integrated Campus is the only Muhammadiyah higher education institution in Indonesia developed within an industrial area. This setting strongly supports academic enrichment and partnerships with industry.
“This campus will also function as a learning hub, strengthening collaboration with industry. The faculties established here will align closely with the expertise demanded by the surrounding industrial sector,” he explained.
Beyond academic functions, he also pointed to the presence of Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) and agricultural land within the campus area, describing them as positive diversification strategies for a private university.
“This reflects the distinctive character of private universities—securing funding not solely from student tuition but also from forward-looking business ventures. Of course, research-based enterprises must continue to be strengthened,” he stated.
He concluded that the existence of various business and service units demonstrates that UMSU is an innovative campus—one that goes beyond classroom instruction to provide experiential and entrepreneurship-based learning.
“This campus fulfills its mission not only through classroom teaching but also through natural, entrepreneurship-driven learning experiences,” he concluded.
