MEDAN, October 26, 2026 – The Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) welcomed a benchmarking visit from the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK), Banda Aceh, on Monday (October 26, 2026). The visit, which began at 2:00 p.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) and continued until completion, took place in the Meeting Room of the USU Faculty of Pharmacy.

This strategic visit was conducted as part of a comparative study (benchmarking) on the management of the Master's Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, as well as a concrete effort to strengthen cooperation in quality assurance and academic affairs between the two universities.

The delegation from USK, led by the Head of the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, USK, Tedy Kurniawan Bakri, S.Farm., M.Farm., Apt., was warmly welcomed by the Dean of the USU Faculty of Pharmacy, Prof. Khairunnisa, S.Si., M.Pharm., Ph.D., Apt., along with members of the academic community of the USU Faculty of Pharmacy.

In her welcoming remarks, Dean of the USU Faculty of Pharmacy, Prof. Khairunnisa, S.Si., M.Pharm., Ph.D., Apt., expressed her appreciation for the visit from the USK team. She emphasized that collaboration among faculties of pharmacy at higher education institutions is essential for sharing best practices to improve the quality of graduates and research in the field of pharmacy.

Meanwhile, Head of the Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, USK, Tedy Kurniawan Bakri, S.Farm., M.Farm., Apt., explained that the USU Faculty of Pharmacy was selected as the benchmarking destination based on its track record and the recognized excellence of its management of the USU Master's Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences. The USK delegation hoped that the outcomes of the discussions and information exchange during the visit could be adapted to support quality development in its own study program.

The event featured presentations, interactive discussions on the curriculum and management of master's programs, and the exchange of souvenirs as a symbol of strengthened synergy between USU and USK. The meeting concluded with a group photo session involving the academic communities of both institutions.

This activity aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) through efforts to improve the quality of higher education and develop study programs, as well as SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through strengthened partnerships and collaboration between educational institutions.

Through this activity, the USU Faculty of Pharmacy continues to demonstrate its commitment to improving educational quality and expanding academic networks to support the development of pharmacy education that is excellent, adaptive, and competitive.