The Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening international collaboration by organizing a webinar entitled "Floral Arrangement Art" on Thursday, June 25, 2026. The event was conducted in a hybrid format, connecting the Faculty of Forestry, USU, with Guizhou Technological College of Ecology and Energy, China, while the webinar itself was held via Zoom and attended by students and participants from various institutions.
The webinar represented one of the academic collaboration initiatives between the two institutions, aimed at broadening participants' perspectives, enhancing competencies, and strengthening international networks in decorative arts, floriculture, and creative development.
The event featured Ms. Zhou Wenjuan as the keynote speaker, who delivered an engaging presentation on the art of floral arrangement. She introduced participants to the essential principles of floral design, including design fundamentals, the selection and characteristics of floral materials, color coordination, and flower arrangement techniques for producing aesthetically pleasing, harmonious, and artistically valuable compositions.
The webinar was conducted interactively through presentations, academic discussions, and practical training sessions, allowing participants to understand theoretical concepts while gaining hands-on learning experiences. Participants demonstrated great enthusiasm during the question-and-answer session, which explored floral arrangement techniques, contemporary floral design trends, and the potential of the floriculture-based creative industry.
Through the webinar, participants enhanced their knowledge and practical skills in floral arrangement, recognizing that the discipline extends beyond a recreational activity and also offers promising opportunities within the creative economy. The event also provided a valuable platform for exchanging ideas and experiences between the speaker and participants while expanding academic and professional networks across countries, thereby fostering creativity and competency in decorative arts.
An important highlight of the event was the signing of an Implementation Arrangement (IA) between the Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara, and Guizhou Technological College of Ecology and Energy, China, as a follow-up to the collaboration between the two institutions. The signing of the IA marked a significant milestone in strengthening the implementation of collaborative programs, particularly in education, research, community engagement, academic exchange, and human resource capacity development.
Through this partnership, both institutions are expected to develop a range of international programs that will benefit lecturers, students, and administrative staff while creating broader opportunities for globally oriented academic collaboration and innovation.
The webinar directly contributed to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4: Quality Education by promoting inclusive, high-quality international learning opportunities through cross-border academic engagement. Featuring an international expert, the program provided participants with practical knowledge of floral arrangement, design principles, floriculture materials, and the application of these skills in both everyday life and professional settings. It also enriched students' educational experiences through interaction with an overseas higher education institution.
In addition, the webinar supported SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth by introducing participants to the economic potential of the floral arrangement industry within the creative economy. The skills acquired during the program can serve as a foundation for entrepreneurship, encourage the development of floriculture-based businesses, and enhance the value of ornamental plants and flowers in an expanding market.
The initiative also aligned with SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure by encouraging innovation through creativity in decorative arts and floriculture. The integration of aesthetic design principles, artistic techniques, and material selection demonstrated how innovation can increase the economic value of floriculture products while supporting the growth of sustainable creative industries.
Equally significant, the signing of the Implementation Arrangement (IA) represented a concrete contribution to SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. The agreement strengthened international collaboration between the Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara, and Guizhou Technological College of Ecology and Energy in the areas of education, research, community engagement, faculty and student exchange, and academic capacity building. This partnership provides both institutions with a stronger foundation for developing sustainable collaborative programs, expanding global academic networks, and enhancing the quality of higher education and innovation at the international level.
Through this initiative, the Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara, has demonstrated that the webinar serves not only as a platform for sharing knowledge and practical skills but also as a strategic step toward advancing the internationalization of higher education while contributing to the achievement of the global Sustainable Development Goals.