UNAIR NEWS – Do Well Do Good (DWDG), a student-led organization at Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), recently held its flagship international business case competition: Airlangga Strategic Case Engagement for Next-Gen Development (ASCEND) 2025. This event marked the culmination of DWDG’s annual programs, which began with a series of webinars and external mentoring sessions focused on preparing students for case competitions.
Kamala Silmi Ash-Shihah, the project officer, shared that ASCEND was designed as a platform for participants to apply the knowledge and skills they had acquired throughout the program. “This initiative is structured to be both comprehensive and continuous. The competition is a space for applying key concepts—such as case identification, framework selection, and the formulation of practical, implementable solutions,” she explained.
With the theme Future-Proof Business: Driving Innovation in an Era of Sustainability, ASCEND was divided into two phases: the preliminary and final rounds. Each round presented participants with a unique case study from a different company. The preliminary round featured a case from Mantappu Corp., while Bank Mandiri provided the case for the final. Finalists also received mentoring from seasoned professionals with experience in international competitions such as the HSBC Case Competition and L’Oréal Brainstorm.
Challenges in planning
Despite the program’s success, the organizing team faced several challenges during its preparation. Ash-Shihah cited the limited timeframe as a major constraint. “We had only about three and a half months to organize the entire event, whereas international competitions typically require five to seven months,” she noted.
Securing corporate partners for the case studies was another hurdle. “We faced multiple rejections, but eventually, we successfully partnered with Mantappu Corp. and Bank Mandiri as case collaborators,” she added.
Jeremia Hutabarat, head of events, emphasized that ASCEND offered more than just a competitive experience. Participants received e-certificates, cash prizes totaling over 7 million rupiah, and exclusive mentoring from Jehian Panangian Sijabat, CEO of Mantappu Corp. “The event also provided international exposure and networking opportunities with participants from various countries,” he said.
Looking ahead, Hutabarat expressed his hope that ASCEND would continue to serve as a meaningful growth platform. “We hope this event runs smoothly and becomes a valuable experience for participants, organizers, and external partners who have supported us from the beginning,” he concluded.
Author: Ameyliarti Bunga Lestari
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
