Universitas Terbuka (UT) continues to strengthen its commitment to international-level community service (PkM) through the implementation of a Need Assessment activity involving Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU). This Need Assessment (NA) activity is one of the initial stages in PkM activities that aims to identify and understand the specific needs of the community to be served, as well as the potential they possess to support the service program. This is important for designing relevant and effective programs, and for maximizing the positive impact of service activities. The NA activity took place from April 21–23, 2025, in Berastagi, Karo Regency, Medan, North Sumatera.
The series of events began on April 21, 2025, with the arrival of the UT PkM team at Kualanamu Airport, Medan, followed by a trip to Berastagi. Upon arrival in Berastagi, the PkM team held an audience with the Berastagi Tourism Office, Karo Regency, followed by field observations at the Berastagi Market, as the main location for PkM activities. This NA activity was to identify community needs while conducting initial observations.
On April 22, 2025, the PkM team continued field surveys at the Berastagi Market and also conducted interviews with relevant government agencies. In addition to the survey, discussions on cooperation between Universitas Terbuka and the Karo Regency Government were also held. In the afternoon, the team returned to Medan to continue the next agenda.
The activity continued on April 23, 2025, with a visit to Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) to discuss the plan for the signing of a Cooperation Agreement (PKS) between UT, USM, and USU. After that, the team held internal coordination at the UT Medan office before continuing their journey back to Jakarta and Penang.
Through this activity, UT affirms its active role in building international networks and strengthening its real contribution to society, in line with the spirit of the Tri Dharma of Higher Education. This activity is also an important step in expanding UT’s global collaborations, particularly in the field of community service.
