Perth, Australia — Universitas Surabaya (UBAYA) has emerged as the Overall Champion of the International MonsoonSIM 2025 Business Competition, with Team Pekolu securing the top position in a fiercely contested, three-round international event.
The competition brought together 65 teams, each comprising five students, from high schools and universities, creating a single global leaderboard where performance was determined not by exams, but by real-time decision-making, strategic execution, and teamwork.
Championship Result
Overall Champion: Team Pekolu – Universitas Surabaya (UBAYA)
First Runner-Up: Team Mafia – SMA Sutomo
Second Runner-Up: Team Tuahuat – SMA Sutomo
Team Pekolu’s victory reflects not only student excellence, but a deliberate and long-term institutional commitment to experiential learning.
Team Pekolu - Champion
Seven Years of Consistent Commitment to Experiential Learning
UBAYA is no newcomer to simulation-based education. The university has been a MonsoonSIM subscriber for seven consecutive years, embedding experiential learning deeply into its curriculum.
Since 2021, UBAYA has formally shifted its learning paradigm from “theory first” to “experience first.” Under this approach, students are immersed in decision-making environments before formal theory is introduced — allowing concepts to be understood through action, reflection, and consequence.
A Curriculum Designed Around Experience
Within the Business Management program, led by Dr Deddy Marciano, MonsoonSIM is now used from the very first semester.
Dr Deddy Marciano
Every session of the 14-week course is a hands-on simulation
Students manage virtual companies before studying formal frameworks
Theory is contextualized through lived experience, not abstraction
This structure ensures that learning is anchored in practice, not memorization.
A Dedicated MonsoonSIM Ecosystem on Campus
UBAYA has gone further by establishing a special MonsoonSIM Club, supported by five selected MonsoonSIM-certified facilitators on campus.
This ecosystem allows students to:
practice continuously outside formal classes
compete internally and internationally
mentor juniors and build leadership skills
treat learning as a community activity, not a solitary task
Measurable Impact on Student Engagement
Since adopting the experience-first model, UBAYA has observed:
a significant increase in learning enthusiasm
stronger engagement in business management subjects
higher participation, discussion quality, and team collaboration
a visible shift in student mindset from “passing courses” to mastering decisions
Team Pekolu’s championship is a direct outcome of this sustained cultural shift.
More Than a Trophy — A Proof Point
UBAYA’s win at the International MonsoonSIM 2025 Business Competition is more than a podium finish. It is a proof point that long-term investment in experiential learning delivers real, competitive outcomes.
Team Pekolu didn’t just win a competition — they validated a learning philosophy.
