The Faculty of Forestry at Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) continues to strengthen its preparation for accreditation by the Independent Accreditation Institute for Higher Education in Agricultural Sciences (LAM-PTIP) for the Bachelor’s Program in Forestry and the Master’s Program in Forestry. The preparation was carried out through a meeting to evaluate and monitor the completeness of accreditation documents, held on Wednesday, August 6, 2026, in the Faculty of Forestry USU Meeting Room, Campus 2 Kwala Bekala.

The meeting, held from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. WIB, was chaired by the Vice Dean for Education, Student Affairs, and Alumni of the Faculty of Forestry USU, Dr. Ir. Tito Sucipto, S.Hut., M.Si., IPU., ASEAN Eng., and involved faculty leaders, heads of study programs, lecturers, and the accreditation preparation support team.

The activity aimed to ensure the readiness of the data, documents, and supporting evidence required for the LAM-PTIP accreditation process, while also identifying sections that still needed to be completed and strengthened before the accreditation documents were submitted.

In his remarks, the meeting chair emphasized the importance of coordination and consistency among all parties in fulfilling accreditation data requirements. This process reflects the commitment of the Faculty of Forestry USU to ensuring that educational delivery meets established quality standards.

The meeting continued with a presentation on the progress of the accreditation form for the Bachelor's Program in Forestry by its Head of Study Program, Dr. Evalina Herawati, S.Hut., M.Si. Subsequently, the progress of the accreditation form for the Master’s Degree Program in Forestry was presented by its Head of Study Program, Prof. Ir. Siti Latifah, S.Hut., M.Si., Ph.D., IPU.

The discussion focused on reviewing data and supporting documents, ranging from students’ academic and non-academic achievements and student and lecturer publications to evidence of research activities and the integration of research findings into the learning process.

Several participants also shared updates and raised technical questions regarding document requirements. One of the issues discussed concerned supporting evidence for student achievements and the proportion of documents that needed to be included in the accreditation form. The meeting also discussed supporting evidence for lecturer research activities, including independent research.

In response, Dr. Ir. Samsuri, S.Hut., M.Si., IPM., ASEAN Eng., serving as the advisor for the preparation of the accreditation form prior to submission, explained the importance of ensuring that every activity is supported by verifiable evidence. For research activities, for example, an official confirmation letter from the relevant institution or unit where the research was conducted is required as evidence that the activity was actually carried out.

The discussion also covered the integration of research findings into the learning process. Participants were encouraged to clearly understand and document the forms of integration, both in learning materials and in case studies used in educational activities.

Through this evaluation and monitoring process, the Faculty of Forestry USU seeks to ensure that every element of the accreditation documents is supported by complete, relevant, and accountable data. This process also serves as part of an internal evaluation to strengthen the quality of educational delivery in the Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Programs in Forestry.

As a follow-up, the meeting participants agreed on the importance of accelerating the collection and updating of data. Monitoring of the progress of accreditation document preparation will be conducted weekly to ensure that all requirements are completed according to the established stages.

The accreditation preparation is aligned with the commitment of the Faculty of Forestry USU to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education. Strengthening quality assurance systems, conducting continuous evaluation, maintaining comprehensive academic documentation, and improving the quality of educational delivery are essential components in realizing high-quality, inclusive, and sustainable higher education.

Through systematic and collaborative accreditation preparation, the Faculty of Forestry USU continues to promote the improvement of forestry education while strengthening its contribution to producing competent graduates capable of addressing the challenges of sustainable development.