Medan, September 3, 2026 — The Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FIB USU) and Rumah Karya Indonesia (RKI) strengthened their commitment to cultural development through the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) and an Implementation Agreement (IA). The signing took place on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the FIB USU Performance Building, as part of the World Music Talkshow entitled “Local Wisdom as a Tool for Reaching Global Music Audiences,” which was part of the Lake Toba Traditional Music Festival 6.0 “Pulse of Sound.”
The MoA was signed by the Dean of FIB USU, Mhd. Pujiono, S.S., M.Hum., Ph.D., and Chairperson of Rumah Karya Indonesia, Marojahan. On the same occasion, an Implementation Agreement (IA) was also signed as a follow-up to and implementation of the cooperation between FIB USU and RKI.
The signing was witnessed by the Head and Secretary of the Ethnomusicology Study Program, FIB USU, faculty members, students, and invited guests from Rumah Karya Indonesia. The participation of various stakeholders demonstrated a shared commitment to building collaboration that extends beyond institutional cooperation and provides opportunities for academic community members and cultural practitioners to become actively involved.
The partnership between FIB USU and RKI represents a strategic step toward bringing together the academic strengths of a higher education institution with RKI’s experience, networks, and practices in the development of arts and culture. The collaboration is expected to create broader opportunities for various activities, including research, community service, arts and cultural activities, knowledge exchange, documentation, and capacity building for students and communities.
Going forward, the partnership will continue to be developed through various relevant programs, particularly in collaboration with the Ethnomusicology Study Program, FIB USU. This collaboration has significant potential to support activities related to traditional music, performing arts, cultural documentation and revitalization, ethnomusicological research, and the development of networks connecting academics, artists, communities, and cultural industry practitioners.
For Ethnomusicology students, the continuation of the partnership with RKI is also expected to provide valuable opportunities for learning beyond the classroom. Student involvement in joint activities with partners can provide firsthand experience in understanding cultural management practices, arts event production, community-based work, and the development of traditional music in broader contexts.
The signing of the MoA and IA marks an important milestone in strengthening the institutional relationship between FIB USU and Rumah Karya Indonesia. More than merely formalizing the partnership through official documents, the event serves as the starting point for various collaborative programs that are expected to continue and provide benefits for students, faculty members, artists, cultural communities, and society at large.
Through synergy between higher education institutions and cultural communities, FIB USU and RKI are committed to continuing to promote the development and utilization of culture as an integral part of education, creativity, and sustainable community development.