Aceh – Indonesia, The Chairman of the Board of Trustees (MWA) of Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK), Dr. Safrizal ZA, officially opened the USK working meeting on Friday night, October 2, 2026. The event was held in the ballroom of the Gayo Petro Hotel, Takengon City, Central Aceh.
In his address, the Chairman of MWA USK emphasized that members of the Board of Trustees share the responsibility of overseeing the leadership of USK Rector, Prof. Dr. Mirza Tabrani, S.E., M.B.A., D.B.A.
In his speech, Safrizal stated that the theme of the working meeting—”Strengthening Good University Governance, Downstream Application and Sustainable Research Innovation, and Enhancing IKU Towards a Globally Reputable USK”—is a major agenda. Every faculty must be assigned responsibilities to achieve goals aligned with this theme. All responsibilities must be measured with specific key metrics. Deans should be evaluated if targets are not met, while those who succeed must receive due recognition.
Operating on a budget of just Rp900 billion, USK carries a massive responsibility. Consequently, implementing efficiency is imperative, and innovation must be fostered.
The world continues to change as civilizational evolution and industrial revolutions march forward, shifting the primary sources of competitive advantage. During the Industrial 1.0 era, competitive advantage stemmed from natural resources. Moving into Industrial 2.0, machinery and natural resources served as primary capital. In the Industrial 4.0 era, competitive advantage transformed into artificial intelligence (AI), the internet of things (IoT), big data, cloud computing, robotics, and biotechnology.
Meanwhile, the three core pillars of the Industrial 5.0 era are human-centricity, sustainability, and resilience. At this stage, challenges become even greater.
As a campus holding Legal Entity State University (PTN BH) status, Safrizal noted that USK faces five key challenges that must be addressed.
First, the challenge of creating added value. For instance, USK’s presence must deliver added value to agricultural commodities produced by Central Aceh, a renowned agricultural hub in Aceh.
Second, the challenge of technological mastery. USK must become a technology creator. To achieve this, USK needs to expand its business ventures, and deans must generate revenue to fund various innovations.
Third, USK must produce abundant research to help generate new opportunities.
Fourth, fostering talents at USK to make significant contributions to scientific advancement and industrial needs.
Fifth, in facing global competition, USK must successfully convert resources into competitive advantages, which in turn must be translated into innovation.
“We often refer to USK as a prestigious institution, and we must take responsibility for that reputation. Aceh is rich, but it lacks sufficient processing industries to add value to its local resources. USK must drive the birth of industries that build value addition. This is the Rector’s duty—he must communicate effectively with external stakeholders to transform resources into competitive advantages,” Safrizal stated.
Concluding his address, Safrizal, who serves as the Director General of Regional Administration Development (Bina Adwil) at the Ministry of Home Affairs, urged USK to produce superior agricultural seeds and breeds. Aceh is known for agriculture, yet its economy—historically dependent on government spending—continues to leak capital outward to purchase seeds and livestock from other regions.
“We have been importing all our needs and only held a rice surplus before the disaster. The university must be capable of breeding superior seeds and stocks for the agricultural sector so that Aceh’s financial capital remains within the region,” he added. (sep)