The Language Center of the University of Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) once again held the 2025 National Language Contest (NLC), attracting more than 650 participants from various schools across North Sumatra. The event officially opened on Monday (Nov 3) at the UMSU Auditorium on Jalan Muchtar Basri No.3, Medan.
This marks the second year the event has been held as part of UMSU’s commitment to becoming a World Class University.
The event was officially opened by the UMSU Rector, Prof. Dr. Agussani, M.AP., represented by Vice Rector II, Prof. Dr. Akrim, M.Pd., who highlighted the importance of mastering foreign languages in the era of globalization.
“English, Arabic, and even Mandarin are now key tools for broadening perspectives and expanding international networks,” said Prof. Akrim.
He stated that UMSU fully supports this competition as a strategic step toward becoming a world-class university. According to him, excellent facilities alone are not enough—universities must also prepare superior human resources. Prof. Akrim also expressed pride in UMSU’s achievements at the Asian level.
“God willing, next week we will receive the QS Asia Ranking certificate, and UMSU has secured the 445th position in Asia. This is a shared pride for all of us,” he added.
Previously, Head of the UMSU Language Center, Muhammad Rafi’i, S.Pd., M.A., enthusiastically reported the significant increase in participant interest.
“Last year, we were only able to attract around 250 participants, but this year the number has nearly tripled to 600,” Rafi’i said, followed by loud applause.
He emphasized that this competition is not only about winning but also about allowing participants to express themselves and channel their ideas through language.
Rafi also stressed the Language Center’s moral responsibility to broaden access to language learning both inside and outside the university.
“We want to show that UMSU is no longer just a local campus. Through language programs, we are building international collaborations and continuing to innovate,” he stated.
The event also featured a seminar session by Education USA representative, Dimas Samudra, who presented opportunities for studying in the United States.
“Education USA is part of the U.S. Department of State that provides accurate and free information about studying in the United States,” Dimas explained.
“There are still many small scholarships that remain unused, even though these can be combined to help students pursue studies at top global universities,” he added.
In addition to the seminar, the committee introduced members of the UMSU Language Center team, who explained several flagship programs, including Talk Master, Sunset Talk, English Camp, and the computer-based TOEFL Prediction Test developed by the UMSU team.
“We have prepared a web-based system for the TOEFL Prediction Test that can be accessed by students and lecturers,” explained Khairun Nisa, M.TESOL., Secretary of the Language Center.
“This program will be launched soon, and we are ready to collaborate with schools,” she added.
Meanwhile, Arabic Language judge Dr. Arwin Juli Rakhmadi Butar-Butar, M.A., reminded participants to pay close attention to nahwu and sharaf rules during their speeches.
“In the Arabic speech competition, participants must observe proper grammar, correct vowel markings, and accurate pronunciation. Do not arbitrarily ‘sukun’ words,” he emphasized.
The event was lively with various competition categories, including English Speech, Arabic Speech, Storytelling, and Spelling Bee. The committee prepared trophies and cash prizes for the winners, to be announced at the closing ceremony.
The series of activities was further enlivened by musical performances from UMSU Band, interactive games, and the introduction of the main judges from academic and language practitioner backgrounds.
