FIB USU PR - The Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB), Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), held the FIB USU Summer Course 2026, themed “North Sumatra Cultural Heritage: Documentation and Fostering Sustainability,” from September 21 to 26, 2026. The program served as a platform for learning and knowledge exchange on the culture, communities, and cultural heritage of North Sumatra, with a focus on documentation and sustainable preservation.

The six-day program featured a series of activities held at FIB USU, Grandhika Hotel, and several cultural heritage sites on Samosir Island. The activities included academic lectures, documentation practices, a field trip, participant project presentations, and a closing ceremony with certificate presentations.

The program was officially opened on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, at the FIB USU Serbaguna Building. The opening ceremony began with the singing of the Indonesian national anthem, Indonesia Raya, followed by a dance performance by a student activity unit at FIB USU. The event continued with remarks from the Chair of the Summer Course Committee, Dr. Tasnim Lubis, S.Pd.I., M.Hum., and the Dean of FIB USU, Mhd. Pujiono, S.S., M.Hum., Ph.D. The opening remarks were also delivered by the Vice Rector for Research, Innovation, and Cooperation of USU, Prof. Dr. Eng. Himsar Ambarita, S.T., M.T.

During the academic sessions, participants explored various topics related to the culture and cultural heritage of North Sumatra. Prof. Dr. Drs. Budi Agustono, M.S., delivered a session entitled “North Sumatra: Culture, People and Heritage,” followed by “Beyond Records: Sustainable Documentation of Cultural Heritage,” presented by Prof. Dr. Stefanie Shamila Pillai from Universiti Malaya, Malaysia.

Other sessions addressed the documentation and preservation of Jawi manuscripts in Thailand’s Deep South, the documentation and digitalization of language and cultural heritage, visual literacy and cultural identity, the history of Deli, digital artifacts as intercultural bridges, and oral traditions and Toba Batak local wisdom. The speakers came from various institutions, including Prince of Songkla University, Institut Teknologi Bandung, University of the Philippines Cebu, and FIB USU.

One of the main activities took place on Thursday, September 24, 2026, through a field trip and documentation practice on Samosir Island. Participants visited Huta Siallagan, a traditional Batak settlement, as well as the tombs of the Siallagan Kings. The activity provided participants with first-hand experience in understanding, observing, and documenting cultural heritage in the field.

In addition to the field activities, participants took part in documentation training on intangible cultural heritage through the session “Documentation Training on Intangible Asset (Documenting Ethnomusicology through Ethnographic Film: The Case of ‘Gordang Tano: Bunyi dari Bumi’).” Participants subsequently practiced documentation through performances of the Mak Inang Pulau Kampai Dance and Toba Batak Dance.

The Summer Course concluded on Saturday, September 26, 2026, with participant project presentations and the screening of their documentation projects. The session also featured the announcement of the best short video documentary, followed by the closing ceremony and the presentation of certificates to the participants.

Through the 2026 Summer Course, FIB USU strengthened cross-cultural knowledge, promoted the use of digital technology in cultural documentation, and raised awareness of the importance of preserving cultural heritage. Collaboration among academics and institutions from Indonesia and abroad also strengthened networks for cooperation in education, culture, research, and cultural heritage preservation.