Sulawesi Barat — Amid regional development challenges and growing competition of ideas in the knowledge-based economy, two students from Universitas Terbuka (UT) Majene demonstrated that groundbreaking ideas can emerge from a flexible learning environment. Through scientific papers highlighting the potential of Sulawesi Barat’s local commodities, they dominated the podium in the Student Category of the Scientific Opinion Competition organized by Bank Indonesia (BI) Representative Office of Sulawesi Barat.
Muhammad Agus Syam won First Place, while Achmad Ramadan Riasang secured Third Place in the competition, which attracted approximately 145 participants from Sulawesi Barat, Sulawesi Selatan, and Sulawesi Tengah. The winners were announced on Monday (June 29, 2026), during the Sandeq Business, Investment and Economic (SAQBE) Forum 2026 held at the Ballroom of Hotel Maleo in Mamuju, Sulawesi Barat.
The awards were presented directly by the Head of Bank Indonesia of Sulawesi Barat, Eka Putra Budi Nugroho, in recognition of innovative ideas considered capable of contributing to regional economic development.
Both award-winning students are enrolled in the Primary School Teacher Education (PGSD) Study Program at UT Majene. Their achievement demonstrates that UT students are capable of competing in academic competitions while presenting solutions that address regional development challenges.
Muhammad Agus Syam, a sixth-semester PGSD student, explained that the scientific paper that earned him First Place focused on coconut downstreaming as a strategy to strengthen Sulawesi Barat’s economy and support the region’s progress and prosperity.
He also noted that the competition began in mid-June 2026 and involved several stages of selection.
“The competition consisted of several selection stages, from administrative screening to scientific paper presentations. Alhamdulillah, today we were announced as winners of the scientific opinion competition,” said Agus Syam.
According to him, Sulawesi Barat’s abundant coconut resources should be optimized through downstream processing to generate greater added value. This approach would enable local commodities to be marketed not only as raw materials but also as higher-value products capable of improving community welfare.
A similar vision was shared by Achmad Ramadan Riasang, a fourth-semester PGSD student who won Third Place with his scientific paper titled “Dari Kebun ke Panggung Dunia.” In his paper, he proposed strengthening an inclusive economy through the downstream development of Sulawesi Barat’s leading commodities as a strategy to enhance the region’s competitiveness.
Achmad believes that such a strategy would create broader opportunities for Sulawesi Barat’s agricultural products to enter international markets while increasing their market value for local farmers.
“We hope that Sulawesi Barat’s agricultural commodities will become competitive in the global market so that farmers’ welfare can also improve,” he said.
Both papers emphasized the importance of downstream processing of local commodities as a strategy to strengthen the regional economy, increase the added value of agricultural products, and improve community welfare. This approach is also aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to promoting decent work and economic growth, strengthening industry and innovation, and reducing inequalities through inclusive development.
The achievement demonstrates that university students are not only capable of excelling in academic competitions but also of generating ideas that are relevant to regional development. From the learning environment at UT Majene comes renewed optimism that the critical thinking of the younger generation can become an important foundation for building a more competitive future for Sulawesi Barat.
