UNAIR NEWS – A team of Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) students once again achieved an outstanding result on the international stage. The team consisted of Satyalaksmi Aisya Kautsarani, Angelina Marita Putri, Keisha Syahla Amelia, Khailila Arumdapta, and Nadiyah Naila Salsabila, all from the Psychology Study Program UNAIR, Class of 2023. Thanks to their dedication and hard work, they won the silver medal at the MJIIX International Research and Innovation Competition 2026 (MJIIX IRIC 2026).
The international competition was organized by the Malaysia-Japan International Institute of Technology (MJIIT), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), at the UTM Hotel and Residence in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Monday (September 28, 2026). MJIIX IRIC 2026 is part of the Malaysia-Japan Industrial & Innovation Expo (MJIIX) series. The main aim of the competition is to spark creativity, innovation, and collaboration among universities, industry partners, and innovators.
Participants in MJIIX IRIC 2026 ranged from undergraduate and postgraduate students to scientists from various institutions and fields. They competed to showcase innovative technology projects that address real challenges facing society and industry today. The competition had several categories for participants to enter. The UNAIR psychology team chose the Social Innovation category, proposing a digital platform called MudaPulih.
Starting from the urgency of safe houses on the ground
MudaPulih is a mobile app-based e-module developed as a guide for safe house managers in Indonesia to nurture and build the resilience of child victims of sexual violence. The idea grew out of field findings on the lack of structured programs for children in safe houses, which often leaves them with low resilience after their assistance period ends. Yet the urgency is growing, as the number of girls who are victims of sexual violence rises every year.
To address the issue, the MudaPulih app combines the theoretical foundation of the Resilience Portfolio Model (RPM) with a practical WHO guide called Life Skills Education (LSE). Both foundations have been proven to help improve resilience among victims of violence. Beyond trauma recovery and resilience, the innovation also supports the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality). The prototype can be accessed at https://bit.ly/PrototypeMudaPulih.
The team’s first international achievement
Winning this first international award has been both a valuable experience and a turning point for the five psychology students from the Class of 2023. Beyond being a first step in their careers, the award is expected to be a tangible contribution by UNAIR students toward psychology- and technology-based social innovation that benefits safe house managers in Indonesia.
“This was a truly memorable experience because it was our first international competition. We hope MudaPulih can make a positive impact for our alma mater, Universitas Airlangga, and also be a meaningful stepping stone for our future careers,” Salsabila said.
This achievement is the team’s first step toward continuing to develop MudaPulih as a psychology- and technology-based social innovation. Going forward, MudaPulih is expected not to remain a prototype, but to be continually refined and developed so it can bring broader benefits to safe houses and to child victims of sexual violence in Indonesia.
Author: Satyalaksmi Aisya Kautsarani
Editor: Yulia Rohmawati
