The Faculty of Law at Gadjah Mada University achieved a remarkable accomplishment at the 2025 Karawang Regency Regional Research and Innovation Week (PERIODA). In this student-level competition, a team consisting of Tribuna Haiqal Rio Wijaya, Almas Zulfarika, and Nadya Khalifa Prastawa successfully won 3rd place in the Student Research category after passing a series of rigorous selection rounds. All three are members of the 2023 cohort at the UGM Faculty of Law.
The Karawang Regency PERIODA is an annual event organized by the Karawang Regional Government to foster a culture of research and innovation among students, college students, and researchers. This event aims to serve as a platform for the younger generation to present ideas and strategic solutions to address regional development challenges.
In 2025, the student research category competition was participated in by 34 teams from various universities across Indonesia. The competition began with the submission of scientific papers (KTI) focused on strategic regional themes, ranging from education and employment to sustainable development. The delegation from the UGM Faculty of Law chose to combine the themes of education and employment, given the relevance of these issues to the conditions in Karawang Regency as one of the largest industrial centers in West Java. The result was a research paper titled: “Educational Transformation and Policy: Strategies for Addressing Employment Issues in Karawang.”
This study highlights the gap between the education system and the needs of industry. Although Karawang has great potential as an industrial region, serious challenges arise when graduates do not yet fully possess the skills required by the workforce. Through this research, the team proposes an educational transformation strategy integrated with labor policies, including strengthening vocational curricula, technology-based training, and active collaboration among educational institutions, the government, and the industrial sector.
Out of 34 submitted entries, only the top 5 teams advanced to the final presentation stage. The UGM Faculty of Law delegation was among them and had the opportunity to present their research findings in person in Karawang Regency before a panel of judges consisting of academics, practitioners, and local government representatives.
The presentation stage played a crucial role in determining the winner, as each team was evaluated not only on their research methodology but also on the depth of their analysis and the relevance of the solutions they proposed. The UGM Faculty of Law team delivered a systematic, well-reasoned, and practical presentation tailored to the development needs of the Karawang region. As a result, the UGM Faculty of Law delegation secured third place in the student research category. This achievement demonstrates that law students can contribute directly to formulating innovative ideas to address socioeconomic challenges, even on issues traditionally addressed by other fields of study.
The research paper produced by the UGM Faculty of Law team is not only of academic value but also has practical relevance. By emphasizing the importance of the link between education and employment, this research aims to provide concrete input for the Karawang regional government in formulating policies. The research recommendations stress that educational transformation must be directed toward producing graduates who are competitive, job-ready, and adaptable to industrial developments. Thus, the issue of unemployment in industrial areas can be minimized, while available job opportunities can be optimized for the local community.
This team’s success is part of the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Faculty of Law’s commitment to encouraging students to actively participate in research, innovation, and community service. The UGM Faculty of Law continues to support student participation in academic competitions at the local, national, and international levels as a tangible contribution by the university to national development. By winning 3rd place in the 2025 Karawang Regency PERIODA competition, the UGM Faculty of Law has once again reaffirmed its role as an institution that focuses not only on normative legal studies but also on developing interdisciplinary solutions that address real-world societal issues.
This achievement is also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Research highlighting the relationship between education and employment supports SDG 4: Quality Education, as it promotes improvements to curricula and training to ensure they are relevant to the workforce. Furthermore, the focus on creating job opportunities and reducing unemployment reflects a contribution to SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth. The collaborative efforts between academics, the government, and the private sector in this research also reflect the implementation of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals, by adopting a cross-sectoral approach to develop sustainable solutions for the public interest.
Author: Delegation of the Faculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FH UGM)
