The session featured Jawahir Ulwan, a native of Binjai who pursued his education in Türkiye in 2023 after studying at Pondok Modern Darussalam Gontor in Java. His organizational experience, which began when he served as a Scout Leader at the pesantren, became one of the foundations that led him to become actively involved in Indonesian student organizations and eventually be entrusted with leading PPI Türkiye.

The accreditation preparation is part of the Faculty of Forestry USU's efforts to build a sustainable quality culture. This process is not only oriented toward fulfilling administrative documents but also serves as an opportunity to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of education implementation, strengthen governance, and ensure that each study program can continue to develop in accordance with established quality standards.

The initiation of the Expert Services Clinic marks the first step for the USU Faculty of Forestry in connecting academic expertise with the real needs of communities, government institutions, businesses, and various stakeholders. Through more systematic competency mapping, the faculty is expected to provide professional expertise-based services while expanding opportunities for collaboration and knowledge downstreaming.

The testing was conducted at the Forest Products Technology (THH) Laboratory of the USU Faculty of Forestry, which is accredited under SNI ISO/IEC 17025:2017 by the National Accreditation Committee (KAN). Supported by modern laboratory equipment and competent human resources in their respective fields, the THH Laboratory can support various testing and research activities related to forest products technology.

More than 100 students of the Faculty of Forestry USU participated in a photo session as part of the graduation activities. Wearing graduation gowns and regalia, the graduating students captured moments of togetherness after completing their academic journey at the Faculty of Forestry USU.

Addressing the prospective graduates, Aramico emphasized that entering the workforce as a fresh graduate is a challenging phase. The competitive job market requires graduates to have enthusiasm, hard work, perseverance, and a willingness to keep learning. He also highlighted the importance of seeking parents’ blessings and always giving one’s best in every opportunity.

This year’s Rimbapala General Assembly carries the theme “Uniting Ideas, Strengthening Leadership, Towards an Excellent and Sustainable Rimbapala.” The event serves as an important opportunity for Rimbapala members to evaluate the organization, unite ideas, and formulate its future direction and strategies.

In addition to spatial and institutional aspects, biodiversity potential and local community knowledge are also key considerations. An ethnobiological study will identify ethnobotanical and ethnoecological practices, including the use of various plant and mushroom species as medicinal resources and sources of economic value. In the five villages, approximately 10 mushroom species have been recorded as being used medicinally, while around 60 plant species have potential for use as medicinal ingredients. One example is the susuk harimau mushroom, which has an estimated economic value of approximately IDR 700,000 to IDR 1 million per kilogram.

The discussion explored several facilities with potential for development, including the Forest Products Technology Laboratory (THH), which provides testing services using a Universal Testing Machine (UTM), as well as various laboratories and equipment such as cameras, microscopes, binoculars, and drones. The USU Arboretum was also identified as a strategic asset with potential for development as an environmentally based educational tourism destination.

The webinar featured Assoc. Prof. Thomas Groen from the University of Twente, the Netherlands, as the keynote speaker. The event was attended by students of the Faculty of Forestry USU, particularly those specializing in Forest Management in their fifth and seventh semesters, as part of efforts to broaden students’ knowledge of developments in science and technology in the forestry sector.