Medan — Students of the Master of Management Program at Universitas Sumatera Utara (MM USU) from the PTPN Partnership Class conducted a benchmarking visit to the Sugarcane Research Institute (SRI) Vietnam in Ben Cat City, Binh Duong Province, from January 21–24, 2026. The visit, which was part of the Strategy Implementation course, resulted in a series of strategic recommendations aimed at improving the performance of PT Sinergi Gula Nusantara (SGN), the sugar subholding of PTPN Group, which recorded a net loss of Rp668.4 billion in 2025 due to low sugarcane yields and prolonged mill downtime.

SRI Vietnam was selected as the benchmarking partner due to its reputation as Vietnam’s national sugarcane research institution, which has been operating for nearly 47 years and has developed more than 51 superior sugarcane varieties that currently cover over 80% of the country’s sugarcane cultivation area. Four student working groups prepared presentations focusing on supply stabilization, operational discipline through CILT (Cleaning, Inspection, Lubrication, and Tightening), agronomic monitoring and farmer profit-sharing schemes, as well as the integration of these solutions into financial modeling.

Beyond technical solutions, the recommendations developed by the students are also aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Integrated Cane Partnership (ICP-SGN) scheme, which provides farmers with a 70–75% profit-sharing allocation, contributes to SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). Meanwhile, improving sugarcane yields and stabilizing supply support SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) by strengthening national food security. The adoption of Control Tower, Internet of Things (IoT), and digital dispatch systems supports SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), while supply chain efficiency and the reduction of production losses are relevant to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). Cross-border collaboration among USU academics, PTPN corporations, and SRI Vietnam also reflects the spirit of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

The visit also reinforced the achievement of the MM USU Program’s vision of “producing innovative, globally competitive managers with social impact.” The analytical approach applied by the students through strategic frameworks such as PESTEL, RBV, SWOT, and FMEA to address the real-world case of SGN demonstrates the implementation of the program’s mission to equip graduates with BINTANG character and TALENTA competencies, enabling them to address actual problems based on scientific knowledge, moral values, and conscience. The report’s focus on the welfare of smallholder sugarcane farmers and its contribution to achieving national sugar self-sufficiency also aligns with the program’s mission to develop research and community engagement initiatives that contribute meaningfully to society.

The visit report was prepared under the guidance of several lecturers, including Prof. Dr. Ir. Meilita Tryana Sembiring, Prof. Ir. Nazaruddin, Prof. Dr. Muryanto Amin, Ir. Ikhsan Siregar, and Irwan Budiman. The students recommended that PT SGN establish a Project Management Office (PMO) to integrate the recommendations from the four working groups, while also encouraging the formalization of a memorandum of understanding for research and educational collaboration among MM USU, PTPN Group, and SRI Vietnam.