UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) continues to celebrate its students’ impressive achievements. Most recently, two dental students from the Class of 2021, Rafaelle Raditya Supandji and Prasherly Anura Dinda, claimed 1st place in the International Multidisciplinary Student Competition. Their winning entry, a poster, proposed solutions to bullying, particularly within educational settings.
The team’s concept emphasized the vital role witnesses play in breaking the “cycle of bullying” within communities. The competition, organized by the Faculty of Dentistry at Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, revolved around the theme “Innovative Strategies in Facing Global Healthcare Challenges Towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goals.”
Held on Sunday, September 29, 2024, the competition attracted participants from a wide range of academic disciplines and universities. “That’s why our team was made up of students from both the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Psychology,” Prasherly said in a statement on Saturday, October 19, 2024.
For this competition, Supandji and Dinda chose to focus on mental health, specifically raising awareness about bullying in educational institutions, especially in health-related faculties. Their team also collaborated with a psychology student from Ubaya University.
Breaking the cycle
In an interview with UNAIR NEWS, Dinda explained that their project stemmed from growing concern about the frequency of bullying in educational environments. She highlighted the importance of the role of witnesses, beyond just the bully and the victim. A bystander—someone who witnesses bullying but doesn’t take action—contributes to the perpetuation of the problem.
Victims often need support to speak up and fight back against bullying, but they feel too pressured or powerless to act. This recurring issue creates a cycle. “Our poster urges readers to realize, ‘I have a voice to break the cycle,’ using the VOICE concept,” she said.
Dinda detailed that VOICE stands for: Voice the concern, Offer company, Intervene directly, Confront the bully, and Engage in positive action. “Our main motivation was to contribute to discussions on health and its connection to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Addressing global health challenges requires a collaborative effort across various fields,” she added.
Overcoming challenges
Winning this competition was a significant milestone for the team, but it wasn’t without difficulties. Dinda recalled that they encountered several challenges throughout the process, from creating the poster to preparing their presentation.
“We went through numerous rounds of trial and error to finalize the design and layout. Additionally, since this was an international competition, we had to present entirely in English using a unique approach—combining a mini-drama and a monologue within a 10-minute presentation,” Dinda said.
In closing, she hopes that their poster would inspire greater awareness about the critical role witnesses play in stopping bullying and other unethical behaviors. “Our key message is: don’t be a bystander. A bystander is someone who knows about the incident but stays silent, allowing the cycle of bullying to continue,” she concluded.
Author: Tsaqifa Farhana W
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
