<![CDATA[The preservation of the Toba Batak language and culture is a vital effort to ensure the continuity of cultural heritage amid the tide of globalization. Higher education institutions play a strategic role in supporting this preservation through locally-based cultural education. This study aims to analyze the role of the “Toba Batak Language and Culture Studies” course in efforts to preserve the Toba Batak language and culture among students in the Indonesian Language Education Program. The study employed a descriptive qualitative approach, involving 29 fifth-semester students from the Indonesian Language Education Program as participants. Data collection was conducted through 12 classroom observations, 3 field observations, a literature review, and documentation. The data were analyzed qualitatively, and their credibility was tested using triangulation techniques. The results of the study indicate that the preservation of the Toba Batak language and culture is achieved through the use of the Toba Batak language in lectures, the integration of religious values with local culture, field-based learning, interviews with traditional leaders, the creation of cultural writings, and the practice of the oral cultural tradition of andung-andung. These various activities enhance students’ understanding, appreciation, and awareness of the Batak Toba cultural identity while fostering a sense of responsibility to preserve the region’s cultural heritage. This study demonstrates that local culture-based learning in higher education can serve as an effective strategy to support the sustainable preservation of the Batak Toba language and culture.]]>
