Medan City Government Strengthens Collaboration with Universities for Environmental Education and Drug Prevention

MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM - The Medan City Government is intensifying its collaboration with the academic sector to enhance the quality of human resources while addressing various urban challenges. One of the strategic measures involves strengthening the involvement of higher education institutions, particularly in environmental awareness, drug prevention, and the promotion of sustainable urban development.

The expectation was conveyed by Deputy Mayor of Medan, Zakiyuddin Harahap, during an audience meeting with the leadership of Universitas Medan Area at the Deputy Mayor's office on Wednesday, June 24, 2026. The meeting took place in a warm atmosphere and was marked by constructive discussions on strengthening cooperation between the municipal government and higher education institutions.

Strengthening University–Government Synergy

At the beginning of the meeting, Zakiyuddin Harahap expressed his appreciation for the visit from Universitas Medan Area. He emphasized his personal connection to UMA as an alumnus and expressed hope that the relationship could be further strengthened through concrete forms of cooperation.

He underlined that universities are not only centers of formal education but also carry a moral responsibility in fostering public awareness. The involvement of academic institutions, he noted, is crucial to expanding and strengthening government outreach within society.

"The government cannot work alone without support and public awareness. Universities play an important role in fostering this awareness through education and community engagement," he stated.

Enhancing Competency of Civil Servants

Zakiyuddin also opened the opportunity for strategic cooperation in the education sector, particularly for the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) within the Medan City Government. He encouraged public servants to continue their academic development up to the master's level at institutions such as Universitas Medan Area.

According to him, strengthening human resources through academic advancement is a key factor in building a more professional, responsive, and high-quality public service system. Better-educated civil servants are expected to contribute to more efficient and adaptive governance.

He also highlighted several urban issues that continue to require serious attention, particularly environmental problems and flooding. These challenges, he stressed, cannot be addressed in isolation but require the involvement of all stakeholders.

Universities' Role in Addressing Urban Challenges

Zakiyuddin emphasized that urban issues such as flooding and environmental degradation require active participation from multiple stakeholders, including academia. He encouraged universities to develop more research-based solutions while fostering sustainable education that promotes behavioral change in society.

In addition to environmental concerns, he also addressed serious threats facing the younger generation, particularly drug abuse and the increasing prevalence of online gambling. Both issues, he warned, could significantly endanger the future of youth if not addressed collectively and consistently.

He called on universities to strengthen anti-drug and anti-online gambling campaigns both on campus and within the broader community. Students, he added, should act as agents of change by contributing positive influence to society.

UMA Presents Postgraduate Programs

The Director of the Postgraduate Program of Universitas Medan Area, Retna Astuti Kuswardani, stated that the visit aimed to strengthen relations while introducing UMA's master's degree programs to the Medan City Government.

She explained that UMA offers various innovative programs, including the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) scheme. This program allows students to accelerate their studies by converting work experience and prior learning into academic credit.

Through this initiative, UMA hopes to attract interest from city government employees to pursue postgraduate education. Beyond individual competency development, it is also expected to contribute concretely to improving public services in Medan. (IDNC)

REPORTER: Teguh Panjaitan | EDITOR: Fik Sagala

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