Two UMS Student Teams Win Silver and Bronze Medals at NESCO 3 Essay Competition in Bali

Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) has once again carved out a proud achievement at the national level. At the Nusantara Creative Competition 3 (NESCO 3), a scientific competition held at Universitas Udayana, Bali, Saturday through Monday (19-21/9/2026), two teams representing UMS took home the silver and bronze medals in the essay category.

The silver medal was won by Team Juarabareng.id. A product of cross-disciplinary collaboration, the team consisted of two students from the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) and two students from the Faculty of Psychology: Wahyu Muhammad Raffi, Aisyah Wandya Istighfarida, Sasta Ardhia Rachmadina, and Nazwa Rinu Rajani.

In the competition, they presented an innovative essay titled "Juarabareng.Id: Turning Individual Competition into Championship Collaboration (A Digital Ecosystem Innovation to Accelerate Young Talent Toward a Golden Indonesia 2045)." The innovation introduces a dynamic networking ecosystem aimed at reshaping the climate of student competition into something more collaborative and inclusive.

Meanwhile, the bronze medal was secured by Team Nirwana, made up of three FEB students: Muhammad Wahyu Jati, Avista Fortuna Dewi, and Muh. Salma Novelino. Team Nirwana presented an idea titled "Nirwana: Smart Wellness Tourism, AI-Personalized Journey for Mental Well-Being (Travel for Healing, Journey for Peace)."

This work integrates artificial intelligence (AI) technology with the richness of Indonesia's natural resources to create a personalized wellness tourism experience in support of mental health.

One of Team Nirwana's members, Muhammad Wahyu Jati, said NESCO 3 was a deeply valuable and memorable experience for him and his team. That's because in this competition, he mentored several new members who had never taken part in a national-level competition before.

"This was a very meaningful first experience for me, since it involved bringing in several new members who had never competed before. Even though it was their first time, they proved to have real potential and were able to compete well enough to win," Wahyu said, Tuesday (29/9/2026).

Wahyu also voiced his concern over a perception that often comes up among students regarding the world of competitions. According to him, many students on campus are still reluctant to try, feeling that competitions are only meant for people who already compete and win regularly.

"It's a real shame that many students on campus who actually have the ability and potential, just like us, hold back because they feel competitions are only for people who are already used to winning. My hope after taking part in this competition is that I can share what I've gained from it, so other fellow students feel moved too and get to experience what it's like to achieve something," Wahyu added.

The NESCO 3 selection process at Universitas Udayana was tightly run, covering the assessment of scientific ideas, the novelty of the innovation, and the presentation of the work before a panel of judges. The silver and bronze medal achievements further affirm UMS's commitment to supporting innovative research, developing young talent, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among students.

Writer: Dwi Kurniadi

Editor: Maysali Sudarwati

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid