Universitas Indonesia win global challenge for second year running

A team of construction students brought the Chartered Institute of Building’s coveted Global Student Challenge trophy back to Universitas Indonesia for the second year on the spin. 

The global competition saw teams of students studying built environment qualifications go head-to-head to create a cost-effective, flat-pack type building which can be used as rapid response disaster relief. 

Team Santapurna Sacturary fended off competition from 41 other teams from 20 universities around the world to scoop the top prize and helped Universitas Indonesia become the first university in the contest’s 11-year history to become back-to-back winners. 

They will now head to South Africa in June to present their project to an audience of global construction experts at CIOB’s Members’ Forum.  

Speaking after their victory, the team said: “This victory surpasses even our wildest dreams. Our team's remarkable synergy and dedication to teamwork propelled us forward. We owe immense gratitude to those behind the scenes who helped us shape our creations. As we bask in this triumph, we hope our achievements serve as inspiration for future generations." 

Teams presented detailed project proposals to an international panel of judges online. They also had to provide a completed design and build program, together with costs for every aspect of the build. 

Members of the winning team, who will each take a share of the £2,000 cash prize, are: 

• Bayu Dewanto 
• Alexander Ganesh 
• Fransiskus Adinda Rio 
• Daffa Aliyo 

Parth Tikiwala, Director, Government and Academic Affairs at Bluebeam, sponsor of this year's competition, said: “Bluebeam’s academic mission extends across diverse environments, from bustling classrooms to intense student competitions. Together with the CIOB, we’re helping shape a future where knowledge knows no bounds.

“With a laser focus on bridging the digital divide, we are proud to sponsor the Global Student Challenge so that we can continue to provide access to cutting-edge technology and comprehensive training resources to the next generation of those who build. Congratulations to this year’s winners, your unwavering commitment and innovative approach to this year’s competition is a sign of new and exciting things to come within the industry.”

The 2024 challenge once again saw the use of CIOB’s hugely successful online platform called Sim Venture Validate - used by a wide range of universities for various subjects to build employability and enterprise skills in curricular and extra-curricular learning environments.   

Third place was claimed by Team Blitzford by Solid Build from Hong Kong Polytechnic University while Team Plasfold Home from Tunku Abdul Rahman University of Management and Technology in Malaysia and ReBuilda from Applied Science University of Bahrain scooped joint second place. 

Kate Macbeth, Marketing Director at CIOB, said: “Universitas Indonesia’s well-considered modular design was highly practical and flexible – providing individual and communal accommodation. It was recyclable, sustainable, reusable, foldable, transportable. Not only that, it took just 25 minutes for four people to assemble.  

“The judges thought it was another very well-engineered design which is suitable for a broad range of disaster situations and remarked the team had clearly refined their design after comparing it to existing market competition. 

“We were overwhelmed by some magnificent submissions in what was quite possibly the strongest contest to date, but Universitas Indonesia is a deserving winner for the second year in a row.”