Law students from the Faculty of Law (FH) at Universitas Pelita Harapan (UPH) Surabaya Campus have achieved a remarkable accomplishment on the national stage. The FH UPH debate team, part of the Law Debate and Research Development (LEAD) student community, won First Place in the National Student Law Debate Competition at the Universitas Atma Jaya Yogyakarta (UAJY) Law Fair 2024. The event, hosted by UAJY’s Faculty of Law, took place from September 12-14, 2024, under the theme “Symphony of the Capital City of Nusantara: Embracing the Journey of Reform through Indonesia’s Governance Toward a Better Future.”

The UPH Surabaya Campus team, represented by Eliana Ananda Winarko (2022), Beatrix Chelsea Meliana Putri (2023), Annabella Marcella Geraldine Kandou (2023), and Rico Arden Kusuma (2023), proudly brought home victory after successfully advancing through rigorous preliminary and final rounds.

In the initial stage of the competition, held online on August 24, 2024, the UPH team performed strongly in the preliminary rounds under the team name ‘Abdoel Wahab.’ They qualified for the semifinals, which took place in person at UAJY.

In the semifinal round, Team ‘Abdoel Wahab’ faced a competitor with the debate motion ‘The Position of the Head of the Nusantara Capital Authority Equivalent to a Minister.’ Taking the opposition stance, they demonstrated an outstanding debate performance and advanced to the final round, where they debated another team. In the final, UPH’s team tackled the motion ‘The Relocation of the Nation’s Capital as an Effort to Address Development Disparities,’ with Team Abdoel Wahab again in the opposition role.

“We are incredibly proud of this achievement. We stood out by presenting solid arguments, offering the ‘Collaborative Government’ mechanism, a concept of cooperation between central and regional governments to address development disparities in underdeveloped areas, as regulated by Presidential Regulation No. 63 of 2020 on the Designation of Underdeveloped Regions 2020-2024. The legal knowledge we’ve gained in our studies was instrumental in helping us navigate each round successfully,” said Eliana.

This success marks a historic moment for the LEAD community at UPH Surabaya Campus. As the first victory since its formation a year ago, this achievement represents an extraordinary milestone on the national level and is expected to inspire other organizations and study programs at UPH Surabaya Campus to continue striving for excellence.

“We give thanks to God for this victory. This win is the starting point for our debate team and will fuel our passion to continue achieving success in the future,” added Beatrix.

This accomplishment is the result of hard work and excellent teamwork, along with the support of FH UPH’s faculty advisor, Joshua Evandeo Irawan, S.H., M.H. According to Joshua, active student participation in competitions can develop skills that cannot be learned in the classroom alone.

“We always encourage and train students to actively participate in various competitions so they can gain new experiences outside the campus while honing their critical thinking and effective communication skills. Additionally, by participating in this debate, students learn about the dynamics of debating current issues that have a direct impact on society. Congratulations to Team ‘Abdoel Wahab,’ who demonstrated dedication and unwavering spirit throughout this competition!” said Joshua.

The victory achieved by FH UPH at the UAJY Law Fair 2024 is tangible proof of dedication, hard work, and full support from various parties. This accomplishment not only brings pride to UPH but also enriches the experience and knowledge of its students, preparing them to become future leaders in the field of law. With a curriculum grounded in national and international law and supported by relevant research, FH UPH provides opportunities for students to develop their potential through both in-class and extracurricular activities, enabling them to become competent professionals who fear God and make a positive impact on society at large.