Medan, July 30, 2026 – The Undergraduate Program in Urban and Regional Planning, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FT USU), organized a special session entitled “Urban Design in Practice.”
The session featured Ir. B.E. Van Hulst, an Urban Designer from the Municipality of Amsterdam, who delivered a presentation entitled “Projects, Processes, and Challenges.” Through the presentation, participants gained insights into urban design practices within a government setting, ranging from project formulation and implementation stages to the various challenges encountered in practice.
 |
 |
The discussion session also served as a platform for knowledge exchange between practitioners and the academic community. The perspectives shared provided students with an opportunity to compare the academic approaches they learn in class with professional practices applied to urban planning at the international level. This experience is expected to broaden participants’ perspectives on the role of urban and regional planners amid the complexities of urban development.
In addition to expanding academic knowledge, the participation of a practitioner from the Municipality of Amsterdam opened opportunities to strengthen international academic networks. The meeting is expected to serve as an initial step toward exploring collaboration in education, research, scientific publications, and faculty and student mobility, which can support the development of the field of Urban and Regional Planning.
 |
 |
The activity directly supports SDG 4: Quality Education through experiential learning that connects theory with professional practice. The focus on urban design also contributes to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities by enhancing participants’ understanding of developing high-quality, inclusive, and sustainable urban spaces. Furthermore, the participation of a practitioner from the Municipality of Amsterdam creates opportunities to strengthen international academic partnerships in support of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals through potential collaboration in education, research, scientific publications, and faculty and student mobility.
Through this activity, FT USU continues to strengthen contextual, collaborative, and professionally oriented learning. The expansion of international networks and academic collaboration is expected to enrich the quality of education, encourage innovation in urban and regional planning, and produce graduates who are prepared to contribute to sustainable urban development.