The Gadjah Mada Debate Society (GMDS), a student activity unit at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), has once again achieved success at the Pertamina Goes to Campus (PGTC) Energy Debate Championship, held in Jakarta on September 21–24. Organized by PT Pertamina (Persero), the championship brought together 112 teams from universities across Indonesia. Covering a range of energy-related issues, the competition gave students an opportunity to sharpen their critical thinking, build well-reasoned arguments, and present their ideas systematically.
In the competition, the UGM team, comprising Komang Ayu Azka Pramesti Mahiswari Matsuzawa and Yehezkiel Vito, both from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIPOL), secured first runner-up (second place). Both team members also received individual awards: Azka was named Third Best Speaker, while Vito earned Fifth Best Speaker.
The 2026 PGTC Energy Debate Championship began with seven preliminary rounds and the octofinal, or round of 32, held online from August 17–21, 2026. After the initial rounds, the competition moved to the later elimination stages, held in Jakarta from September 21–24, 2026. These stages comprised the quarterfinals (round of 16), semifinals (round of eight), and grand final (round of four).
One of the main challenges of the Energy Debate Championship was the specialized and complex nature of the issues covered. The competition required broad knowledge of topics ranging from oil and gas to renewable energy, energy policy, natural resources, and the energy transition. These diverse topics required strong debating skills, as well as an in-depth understanding of energy-sector concepts and developments, to build relevant, evidence-based arguments.
This was particularly significant for the two UGM students, who study at the Faculty of Political Sciences (FISIPOL UGM) and have no specialized academic background in petroleum or natural resources. During their preparation, they had to study topics beyond their primary fields, including the fundamentals of the oil and gas industry, renewable energy developments, energy policy and governance, and contemporary issues surrounding the energy transition.
“The biggest challenge was that we were not yet familiar with energy-related concepts. As a result, we had to devote more time and effort to absorbing information and understanding energy issues,” Yehezkiel Vito said in an interview on Monday (Oct. 12).
During the preparation period, Vito said the team read a wide range of sources, from research papers and policy briefs to news articles. He also studied motions from previous PGTC competitions, followed current developments such as the dynamics surrounding the Strait of Hormuz, and consulted UGM alumni with engineering backgrounds.
“We were advised to look for key information, such as high-value energy commodities, countries’ market shares, and energy production processes,” Vito explained.
UGM’s participation in this year’s Energy Debate Championship was also informed by the team’s experience in the previous competition. At the 2025 Energy Debate Championship, a UGM team represented by senior students advanced to the semifinals before being eliminated. That achievement gave Azka and Vito valuable experience and a benchmark as they represented UGM in this year’s competition.
“Fortunately, many alumni supported us and provided guidance on the issues we needed to explore. They also gave us training and feedback to help us continue improving,” he said.
Commenting on the GMDS UGM delegation’s achievement, UGM Director of Student Affairs Dr. Hempri Suyatna described the result as a source of pride. UGM would continue encouraging students to participate in various competitions by fostering an environment that supports student achievement and innovation.
“In this way, we hope these achievements can be sustained and generate a meaningful impact on society,” Hempri concluded.
Author: Agito Sitepu
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Jasmine Ferdian
Photo: Team documentation