The University of Indonesia (UI) and their participation in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Competition for 2008 was a revelation in a number of truly positive ways. I have been on the record before saying that I did not think that this was the best team that UI had produced. I had even said I would be surprised if they would do as well as some other UI teams of the past.The Jessup competition is the most prestigious law moot competition in the world. To do well in the competition takes an incredible amount of drive and determination mixed with a will to win and desire to be the best that you can be in international law and legal practice.
I am glad to say I must not only eat a little humble pie but must gobble down quite a lot of it!
The team won the National Rounds back in February 2008 and thereby earned the right to represent Indonesian in the International Round in April 2008 in Washington DC. The National Rounds were particularly close this year and looking forward this means that future representatives from Indonesia can expect to do well at the international round.
Indonesia was coming off a year, 2007, where it had not done so well in terms of team performance but had managed to claim the best oralist in the world trophy through the efforts of Hanna Azkiya. This year my hopes were even less and fortunately were proved to be unfounded.
The UI team had two oralists in the top 30 of the world this year; Rivana Mezaya at No. 3 and Edwina Utamidewi at No. 31. Both excellent achievements. This was an achievement in and of itself, but even more impressive than this was the fact that UI emerged from the preliminary rounds as the 3rd best team in the world.
Unfortunately, the UI team was knocked out in the Octo-final round by the University of Auckland out of New Zealand. However, this is still an excellent result and something very positive to build on into the future. It is only a matter of time now before UI raises the Cup in victory as the Overall Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Competition Champions -- maybe 2009 is that year!
4 comments:
yaaaaayy!!! Go UI!!!
(showing some love for my alma mater)
Show that love!
It was a superb effort by UI this year! Congratulations to them all.
Hey Rob,
This is something I try to instill into my staff, that they are every bit as good as the rest of the world. There seems to be a lack of self belief, gladly not in these young Indonesians. An excellent effort
GJ
GJ...
It takes a while and requires a small achievement to get teh ball rolling. It is true that success breeds success.
What really works is being able to exploit the ultra-competitive nature of people. Indonesians are no different to anyone else in this sense. There is a desire to win and if you can facilitate the opportunities for this desire to be satiated then Indonesians can and will step up to the plate!
I have been saying for years that the future is bright for Indonesia if these young people do not lose their way in the big bad world post-graduation. The knowledge and skills are there, the experience lags a little behind but it will get there too eventually.
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