Delegations from UGM have won the Foreign Direct Investment International Arbitration Moot (FDI), organised by Universidad Buenos Aires, Argentine, from 3-6 November. UGM became the Overall Highest Team Ranking based on performance in the oral rounds and written memorials.
“This is the first time ever we’ve reached this high during the FDI. The students have made the UGM and Indonesia proud at the international competition that involves almost all renowened law schools in the world,” said Dean of Faculty of Law UGM, Prof. Dr. Sigit Riyanto, S.H., LL.M, on Monday (21/11) at Faculty of Law.
FDI is the most prestigious moot court in international investment law, joined by the likes of Harvard Law School, Paris Bar School, King’s College London, and NALSAR University of Law.
“This year the competition has the theme on dispute among foreign investors that feel their investments being expropriated by governments. Each team has to prepare memorials, one for investor as claimant and one for government as respondent,” said one of UGM delegates, Amelia Rohana Sonang.
UGM was represented by 7 students: Abigail Soemarko, Amelia Rohana Sonang, Indira Jauhara, Mutiara Khairunnisa, Rahma Reyhan, Rizki Karim, and Rosa Maheswari. UGM delegation also won 2nd Best Memorial for Respondent and seventh place in Oral Rounds. Not only that, Mutiara, Rizki, and Amelia were among 50 Best Advocates.
They all admitted that this competition was tough because they had to face students from top universities, hence making this win special.
“In our opinion, all competitors are tough, especially in the final when we had to be the respondent defending the host state against Harvard Law School. Even more so as they are native English speakers, but we came out seventh place,” said Mutiara.
Prof. Tomi Suryo Utomo, S.H., LL.M., Ph.D., who mentored the students, said the students had prepared well long before the event. “I saw their discipline, solidarity and work ethics that brought them to a good position,” he said.
Tomi hoped they could retain and even improve the achievements in the future and be a good role model for other UGM and Indonesian students.