The Undergraduate Program in Architecture of the Faculty of Engineering USU, held the 4th International Summer Course 2026 with the theme “Sustainable Tourism Planning and Design: North Sumatra Experience” on September 15, 2026. The activity presented North Sumatra as a learning context for sustainable tourism planning and design.

The activity was attended by Vice Rector III for Research, Innovation, and Cooperation of USU, Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, S.T., M.T.; Dean of the Faculty of Engineering USU, Prof. Dr. Ir. Renita Manurung, M.T.; Vice Dean for Research, Community Service, Cooperation, and Internationalization, Zaid Perdana Nasution, S.T., M.T., Ph.D.; and Chair of the Committee, Prof. Ar. Ir. Nurlisa Ginting, M.Sc., Ph.D., IAI. The involvement of university and faculty representatives demonstrated institutional support for an internationally oriented learning forum.

The activity also featured Dr. Frans Teguh from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy as a speaker on the topic "Issues and Challenges in Tourism Development." Participants who attended the Summer Course in a hybrid format came from various national and international higher education institutions, including Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Griffith University Australia, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, University of Florence Italy, Universitas Mataram, and International University VNU-HCM Vietnam.

This activity primarily supports SDG 4 – Quality Education through a learning experience focused on sustainability. The focus on tourism planning is related to SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities, while its international format supports SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals as a platform for academic exchange.

The Faculty of Engineering USU is committed to developing learning that connects local contexts with international perspectives. This forum is expected to strengthen students' capacity to understand tourism planning and design that are responsive to environmental, cultural, and community needs.