In a remarkable achievement, a multidisciplinary student team from Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), representing the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine Sciences (FPK) and the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), secured second place in the prestigious “Audit Paper Defense Competition” organised by Politeknik Keuangan Negara STAN on 18 January 2025.
Held in Tangerang Selatan, this national-level competition brought together student teams from universities across Indonesia to challenge their analytical and presentation abilities in auditing. The UNAIR team distinguished itself by defending a paper they had developed on the theme “The Development of Sustainability Audit Standards in Indonesia”, proposing the harmonisation of global standards to strengthen Indonesia’s sustainable audit framework.
The team comprised three final‑year students: Firman Maulana Barokah from FPK, and Afrill Aulya Rachma and Rahmat Hakim from FEB. Their blend of disciplinary backgrounds in fisheries and economics proved to be an effective strategy during the rigorous presentation and Q&A sessions.
The path to the podium was far from easy. After a tough selection process—including preliminary, semifinal and final rounds—the UNAIR team competed against strong contenders from leading universities such as Universitas Gadjah Mada and STAN itself. The final round, in particular, tested their ability to defend their audit proposals under pressure. Firman expressed his pride in the team’s performance: “Collaborating with my colleagues from FEB brought fresh perspectives to auditing diverse standards in Indonesia. It has been an extremely valuable experience for us.”
He added that, despite coming from a non‑audit background in fisheries and marine sciences, participating in the competition broadened his insight into the audit profession. He also appreciated the opportunity to network with peers from other universities including PKN STAN. The students reflected that the experience taught them valuable lessons in deep data analysis, effective presentation skills and strong team collaboration—skills that will serve them well in both academic and professional settings.
With this second‑place win, UNAIR not only brought home a trophy but also demonstrated how cross‑disciplinary synergy can yield innovation in both academic and professional arenas. Firman concluded with a motivational note: “Being busy as final‑semester students working on our theses was no barrier to achieving success.” He hopes their achievement will inspire more students to take part in similar competitions and continue elevating their alma mater’s reputation.
