MEDAN, September 20, 2026 | A shared commitment to strengthening collaboration between higher education and industry was marked by a symbolic tree-planting activity in front of the Auditorium of the Faculty of Engineering at Universitas Sumatera Utara (FT USU) on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
The tree was planted by Dean of the USU Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Dr. Ir. Renita Manurung, M.T., and PT Dairi Prima Mineral (DPM) External Relations Manager, Liang Shuang, ahead of the public lecture held as part of the “DPM Goes to Campus” program.
The activity was witnessed by faculty leaders, study program representatives, faculty members, PT DPM representatives, and students of the USU Faculty of Engineering.
The tree planting served as a symbol of a shared commitment to building a relationship that extends beyond academic and professional development to include environmental responsibility and sustainability. Just as a tree requires time, care, and consistency to grow, collaboration between universities and industry also requires long-term commitment to create broader and lasting benefits.
Supporting the Spirit of USU’s Green Campus Initiative
Beyond its symbolic significance, the tree-planting activity is also relevant to efforts to develop a Green Campus environment at Universitas Sumatera Utara. Campus greening is an important part of creating a healthy, comfortable, and environmentally conscious educational environment.
As an institution of higher education, a university is not only a place for teaching, research, and community service, but also a space for developing environmental awareness and sustainable practices. Tree planting can contribute to environmental education while encouraging the academic community to participate in maintaining and improving the quality of the campus environment.
This spirit is closely connected to the engineering disciplines, including Mining Engineering. Today, responsible mineral resource management requires more than technical expertise in exploration and mining operations. It also requires an understanding of environmental management, occupational safety, resource efficiency, mine reclamation, and sustainability.
For this reason, interaction between universities and industry is important in broadening students’ perspectives on how sustainability principles are applied in professional practice.
Connecting Education, Industry, and the Environment
The tree planting was part of a broader program that continued with the “DPM Goes to Campus” public lecture. The event brought PT DPM professionals to the USU Faculty of Engineering to share their knowledge and experience of mining activities with students.
More than 200 students from several study programs, including Mining Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Chemical Engineering, attended the event.
The participation of students from different engineering disciplines highlighted the multidisciplinary nature of mining and sustainability issues. Mining activities require contributions from various fields of engineering, ranging from mine planning and operations to infrastructure, energy, environmental management, safety, and resource management.
In this context, the tree planting served as a reminder that advances in knowledge and technology need to go hand in hand with environmental responsibility.
From Symbolism to a Culture of Sustainability
The tree-planting activity also provided an opportunity to strengthen the understanding that environmental commitment should extend beyond ceremonial activities. Its broader significance lies in how environmental awareness can develop into a consistent culture within both academic and professional settings.
For students, experiences such as this can strengthen their understanding that sustainability is an integral part of the competencies expected of future engineers. Technical knowledge needs to be complemented by the ability to understand the social and environmental implications of development activities.
For universities and industry, the activity can also serve as a starting point for expanding forms of collaboration that integrate education, research, competency development, environmental management, and innovation in support of sustainable development.
Aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals
The spirit of tree planting and the development of a greener campus environment is relevant to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 15: Life on Land. In the context of education, the activity is also relevant to SDG 4: Quality Education, as it provides a learning experience that connects academic knowledge with real-world environmental issues.
Meanwhile, collaboration between the USU Faculty of Engineering and PT DPM through academic and environmental activities is aligned with the spirit of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, which emphasizes the importance of partnerships in advancing sustainable development.
The tree planted on the grounds of the USU Faculty of Engineering therefore represents more than campus greening. It symbolizes the connection between education, industry, the environment, and sustainability.
The tree is expected to grow alongside the spirit of collaboration established between the USU Faculty of Engineering and PT DPM. The relationship initiated through academic engagement and environmental awareness is expected to develop into a long-term partnership that benefits students, the university, industry, and the wider community.
The tree-planting activity was followed by the “DPM Goes to Campus” public lecture, which provided a forum for dialogue among industry professionals, academics, and students on the development and future of the mining sector in Indonesia, particularly in North Sumatra.