Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU), through its Graduate School, held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) on Strengthening the Vision, Mission, Curriculum, and Graduate Profile of the Doctoral (PhD) Program in Management on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, at the Graduate School Hall of UMSU. This activity served as a strategic step to ensure that the Doctor of Management curriculum remains relevant and adaptive to global developments as well as the needs of the workforce and industry.
The FGD was opened by the Vice Director of the UMSU Graduate School, Prof. Dr. Adi Mansar, who in his remarks emphasized the importance of aligning the curriculum with Outcome-Based Education (OBE) and enhancing the quality of doctoral-level research. “UMSU continues to strengthen academic quality standards, especially at the doctoral level, so that graduates are not only theoretically excellent but also make real contributions to the development of knowledge and policymaking,” he stated.
The event was attended by various internal and external stakeholders, including the Head of the Doctor of Management Study Program, Prof. Dr. Ir. R. Sabrina, M.Si, and the Program Secretary, Dr. Mhd. Irfan Nasution. The discussion also involved representatives from industry, government institutions, professional associations, quality assurance bodies, and doctoral students, ensuring that the input gathered was comprehensive and multi-perspective.
Stakeholders in attendance included Abdul Rahim Siregar, S.T., M.T., a Member of the North Sumatra Regional House of Representatives (DPRD); Teuku Aliyuddinsyah from KADIN North Sumatra; and Wendi Soebandono from PT Global Citra Abadi. From within UMSU, participants included Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yan Hendra, Drs., M.Si, Chair of the UMSU Quality Assurance Board (BPM); Dr. Isnina, SH., MH, Secretary of the UMSU Quality Assurance Board, along with representatives from LPKP, the Graduate School Quality Assurance Cluster, the Task Force Team, and doctoral students.
The activity was also connected online via Zoom, with participation from international and national academics, including Rai Rake Setyawan, Ph.D., Head of Department at UMAM Malaysia; Prof. Dr. E. Ika Nurul Qamari, SE., M.Si, a lecturer at the Faculty of Economics and Business of UMY; and Dr. Maswanto, MM, Head of the Doctor of Management Program at the Faculty of Economics and Business of UMJ.
In the first presentation session, Prof. R. Sabrina outlined the direction for strengthening the vision and mission of the Doctor of Management Program, adjusting the curriculum based on OBE principles, and developing graduate profiles capable of responding to the challenges of the digital era, globalization, and advanced research demands.
The discussion proceeded actively, generating several key recommendations, including strengthening research competencies, integrating digital leadership into the curriculum, increasing publications in reputable scientific journals, and aligning graduate profiles with the needs of academia, government, and industry.
This FGD demonstrated UMSU’s commitment to improving the quality of doctoral education and strengthening its position as a leading higher education institution with international competitiveness. The outcomes of the discussion will serve as the foundation for refining the curriculum and guiding the future academic development of the Doctor of Management Program.
