Collaboration between the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), and UNS Innovation Hub, Directorate of Innovation and Downstreaming UNS, presented another international agenda. This October, FEB UNS organized an International Seminar entitled ‘Navigating the Digital Transformation Landscape: Challenges & Strategies for Sustainable Business,’ as part of the FEB UNS Sustainable Business Summit 2023, Tuesday, 17 October 2023.

The virtual international seminar presented Prof. Sawal Hamid Md. Ali from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and Meredian Alam Ph.D., from Universiti Brunei Darussalam, as keynote speakers.

The agenda also featured two guest speakers namely Christina Agustin APi, MM., Assistant Deputy of Information Technology Development and Business Incubation of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (Kemenkop UKM), and Miftachur ‘Ben’ Robani, CEO of Forest Protection.

In her welcoming remark, Dr. Dwi Prasetiani, SE., MSi., Vice Dean of Academic, Research, and Student Affairs FEB UNS, expressed her gratitude to the speakers who are willing to attend the agenda. “On this occasion, we will dig deeper into digital transformation including the challenges faced and strategies to survive and succeed in the digital transformation era,” said Dr. Dwi.

Meanwhile, in front of 150 seminar participants, Prof. Sawal Hamid Md. Ali, who currently serves as Deputy Director of the Center for Innovation and Technology Transfer at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, delivered a keynote material entitled ‘Enhancing Technology Innovation for Sustainable Business Growth.’

“If you want to ensure that your business is sustainable, then you need to continuously innovate,” explained Prof. Sawal started her presentation.

Further, Prof. Sawal explained that disruptive technology is a form of technological development that creates new markets, and eventually creates a transformation or shift in the existence of existing markets. Completing the discussion related to sustainable business, Meredian Alam PhD., delivered a material entitled ‘How Inclusivity Shapes the Business,’ as the second keynote speech.

In his presentation, Dr. Meredian focuses on the non-inclusive employment conditions, where workers with special needs rarely or difficult to find work. “This condition is worrying, because everyone basically has their own skills, competencies, and uniqueness that can contribute to business growth,” he said.

At the end of the presentation, Dr. Meredian provides two examples of businesses in Indonesia that raise unique themes based on inclusivity called Kopi Tuli and Uma Oma Cafe.

Regarding the growth of MSMEs, Christina Agustin APi, MM., delivered a material entitled ‘Cultivating Sustainability: The Role of Business Incubation in SME Growth,’ which focuses on business incubation programs that have successfully produced new start-ups in Indonesia, including collaboration and cooperation built with institutions from other countries.

The second guest speaker, Miftachur ‘Ben’ Robani, Co-Founder, and CEO of Lindungi Hutan, shares material related to the establishment of start-ups based on an ecological perspective. The international seminar led by Dr. Aji Cahya Nusantara SE., M.Com(Mktg)., PhD., went on interactively with a live question and answer session between participants and speakers.

FEB UNS Sustainable Business Summit 2023 will continue with the Pitching Competition and Re-branding Identity Challenge with the culmination of the event on October 22, 2023, as well as the Internal Focus Group Discussion agenda on October 19, 2023.