Medan, August 21, 2026 — The Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FT USU), and the National University of Singapore (NUS) signed an Implementation Agreement at the Equity Meeting Room, USU Rectorate Building. The agreement provides the basis for implementing a community service program entitled “Medan Heritage Trails: Digital Innovation for Community-Based Heritage Conservation,” which focuses on developing digital innovations to support community-based urban heritage conservation.

The agreement was signed by Prof. Dr. Ir. Renita Manurung, M.T., Dean of FT USU, and Dr. Johannes Widodo, Professor at the Department of Architecture, College of Design and Engineering, NUS. The signing was also attended by Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, S.T., M.T., Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Cooperation of USU, and Zaid Perdana Nasution, S.T., M.T., Ph.D., Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Internationalization of FT USU.

The Implementation Agreement establishes a one-year collaboration running from January to December 2026. Under the agreement, FT USU, represented by Dr. Salmina Wati Ginting, S.T., M.T., a lecturer in the Master’s Program in Architecture, will collaborate with Dr. Johannes Widodo from the Department of Architecture, NUS.

The collaboration is aimed at supporting the development of community-based heritage conservation approaches through the use of digital innovation. The program has the potential to strengthen knowledge exchange and create opportunities for academic engagement in supporting the preservation of Medan’s urban heritage, while its outcomes and impact will depend on activities carried out throughout the collaboration period.

Substantively, the program supports SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities through its focus on community-based urban heritage conservation. The academic partnership also contributes to SDG 4: Quality Education and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals through knowledge exchange and collaboration between FT USU and NUS.

Through this partnership, FT USU reaffirms its commitment to expanding community service, strengthening international networks, and promoting academic collaboration relevant to heritage preservation and sustainable urban development.