The SABEL Delegation from the Faculty of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), has once again delivered a standout performance — claiming First Place and the 'Best Memo award at the 'National Business Legal Talk 2026, organized by the Business Law Society (BLC) of the Faculty of Law, Universitas Sebelas Maret. This prestigious national competition serves as an academic and competitive forum bringing together more than 40 delegations from 23 leading universities across Indonesia, designed to test the sharpness of legal analysis, the precision of legal reasoning, and the confidence to propose solutions to contemporary business law issues.
The SABEL Delegation comprised two UGM Faculty of Law students from the Class of 2023: Zaidan Chanif Alfarizi and Yonathan Kevin Alvianto. Both demonstrated systematically structured legal argumentation, precision in norm construction, sharp strategic recommendations on the legal issues tested, and a well-integrated approach to balancing the legal protection of Communal Intellectual Property Kekayaan Intelektual Komunal/KIK, with the interests of the business world — proportionately and with a long-term orientation.
The National Business Legal Talk 2026 specifically focused on Communal Intellectual Property (KIK) within the overarching theme "The Intellectual Property Legal Framework as an Intangible Asset in the Business Landscape". The theme underscores the urgency of strengthening the legal regime governing KIK as an intangible asset of strategic economic value and significant social and cultural dimensions. In this context, KIK is understood not only as a collective community right, but also as an instrument for economic empowerment, the protection of cultural identity, and a foundation for business development rooted in local wisdom and sustainability.
In the preliminary round, each delegation was challenged to draft a legal opinion, based on a case study relating to KIK in the modern business landscape. The SABEL Delegation conducted its preparation through in-depth literature research, doctrinal analysis and comparative practice, and intensive internal discussion to ensure logical consistency and analytical rigor. The result was a legal opinion document judged to be methodologically and substantively superior — carrying the SABEL Delegation to the top of the preliminary rankings. In the final round, the delegation presented and defended their argumentation before the panel of judges through a comprehensive presentation and Q&A session.
This achievement is hoped to inspire law students to continue honing their skills in the Legal Opinion Competition arena and to actively contribute to the development of a legal framework that is adaptive to global dynamics. May this success serve as a springboard for broader participation at the national and international levels.
Beyond a competitive milestone, the legal argumentation constructed by the SABEL Delegation reflects a genuine contribution by higher education to the development of a sustainable business law framework. In this light, the achievement aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — specifically SDG 4 (Quality Education) through the strengthening of students\' academic capacity; SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) through the development of business law and intellectual property competencies; and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through collaboration among academics, practitioners, and institutions. This achievement reaffirms the strategic role of higher education in building adaptive legal literacy, fostering regulatory innovation, and supporting sustainable business governance.
Author: Yonathan Kevin Alvianto (Delegation)
