Muhammad Fikri Ilhamdi, a student of the Doctoral Program in Civil Engineering Science, Faculty of Engineering, USU, became one of 15 national finalists in the Competition for Literature Excellence and Vigorous Review (CLEVER) 2026. The final stage was organized by the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Diponegoro, in Semarang on September 26, 2026.

At this stage, Muhammad Fikri Ilhamdi represented Universitas Sumatera Utara alongside finalists from various higher education institutions in Indonesia. The higher education institutions listed in the materials included Universitas Diponegoro, Universitas Indonesia, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Telkom University, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, as well as several other higher education institutions.

CLEVER 2026 served as a forum that tested participants' ability to conduct literature reviews critically and systematically. For doctoral students, this ability is closely related to the process of building a theoretical foundation, mapping research developments, and identifying areas for further research in a more focused manner.

Participation in the final stage provided an opportunity for students of FT USU to bring the academic experience of the Doctoral Program in Civil Engineering Science to a national-level competitive forum. Being one of the 15 finalists demonstrates the student's participation in a forum that places scholarly review skills as a key competency.

This activity primarily supports SDG 4 – Quality Education through strengthening students' academic competencies and research skills. SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure is also relevant through strengthening research capacity as a foundation for the development of knowledge and innovation.

FT USU continues to encourage students to develop their scholarly abilities through participation in academic forums and research-based competitions.