An afternoon walk is more than just physical exercise—it is an opportunity to strengthen collegial relationships, foster a spirit of togetherness, and enjoy the lush surroundings of USU Campus 2 Kuala Bekala. Through this simple activity, we can help create a healthier, more harmonious, and more productive working environment.

Five distinguished speakers from Indonesia and abroad delivered guest lectures and general lectures for students of the Forestry Study Program, Faculty of Forestry, during the Even Semester of the 2025/2026 Academic Year, sharing their expertise, professional experiences, and insights to enrich students' academic learning.

The program included training on cocoa cultivation and pest and disease management, post-harvest handling, marketing strategies, and ecotourism-based cocoa development. Farmers also received high-quality cocoa seedlings and multipurpose plants, as well as various cultivation and post-harvest equipment to improve agricultural productivity.

During the Even Semester of the 2025/2026 Academic Year, the Forestry Study Program, Faculty of Forestry, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), successfully conducted 16 Practitioner Teaching sessions featuring 11 experts from research institutions, government agencies, industry, and professional organizations.

Field-based learning extends beyond academic knowledge to character development. Throughout the ten-day field practice, students were encouraged to cultivate discipline, responsibility, teamwork, leadership, and adaptability in a natural environment. To support the demanding field activities, participants also followed a structured fitness program designed to maintain their physical endurance throughout the program.

For the Nandeta Sembur Pratahi business group, knowledge of digital marketing has become an essential asset for sustainable business development. By making optimal use of digital platforms, locally rooted herbal products have greater opportunities to reach wider audiences while enhancing their competitiveness in an increasingly dynamic marketplace.

As part of the product downstreaming process, the Faculty of Forestry USU team assisted in enhancing the product packaging to make it more modern, informative, and appealing to consumers. The new packaging also features the identity of Universitas Sumatera Utara as a symbol of the university's academic support for community product development. This improvement is expected to increase consumer confidence while strengthening the market competitiveness of Nandeta Sembur Pratahi as a local herbal product.

As a strategic networking event, the meeting was held in a warm and collegial atmosphere. The discussions not only strengthened institutional relationships but also marked an initial step toward building closer communication to explore various forms of collaboration in the forestry sector. Through synergy among academia, state-owned enterprises, and industry, the partnership is expected to generate meaningful contributions to sustainable forest resource management.