Dr. Anggia Sari Lubis, S.E., M.Si.
Secretary of the Master of Management Program, Universitas Sumatera Utara
CALL FOR PAPERS
INTERNATIONAL OPEN CALL
MM USU INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS INNOVATION PAPER CHALLENGE 2026
THEME
Accelerating Business Competitiveness through Digital Innovation
Evidence. Innovate. Compete.
REGISTRATION FEE
FREE
CATEGORIES
Undergraduate · Master's / Postgraduate
TEAM
2–3 students from the same university
PAPER
English · 2,500–3,500 words
FINAL
Hybrid, real-time pitch
OVERVIEW
Research that solves real business problems
MM USU IBIPC 2026 is an international, research-based competition that tackles real-world business problems. Selected finalists defend their papers in a hybrid, real-time pitch.
The challenge is part of MM USU Expo 2026, themed Transforming Local MSMEs into Sustainable Global Businesses, hosted by the Master of Management Program, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan, Indonesia.
COMPETITION TRACKS
Choose one of four tracks
01
AI & Data-Driven Competitiveness
Analytics, decision support, forecasting, and responsible AI
02
Digital Platforms, Marketing & CX
E-commerce, omnichannel, digital branding, and CRM
03
Smart Operations & Supply Chain
Automation, cloud collaboration, IoT, and digital supply chains
04
Digital Finance & Sustainable Business
FinTech, digital payments, MSME digitalization, and green business models
GUIDELINES
Who can join and what to submit
ELIGIBILITY
- Undergraduate: active S1 students or equivalent.
- Master's/Postgraduate: active S2 students or equivalent.
- Teams of 2–3 students from the same university.
- Undergraduate and postgraduate students may not be combined in one team.
PAPER REQUIREMENTS
- Written in English, 2,500–3,500 words (excluding references and appendices).
- Word or PDF format, APA 7th Edition, with at least 8 credible references.
- Includes an originality statement and an AI-use disclosure; similarity screening applies.
SELECTION & FINAL
- Blind review by at least 2 reviewers.
- 4 finalists per category.
- Hybrid final: 7-minute pitch followed by an 8-minute Q&A, onsite or via Zoom/Teams.
KEY DATES
Mark your calendar
STEP 1 · REGISTRATION
Open now
Register your team through the official form. There is no registration fee.
STEP 2 · PAPER SUBMISSION DEADLINE
10 November 2026
--DAYS LEFT
Submit your full paper in Word or PDF format.
STEP 3 · HYBRID FINAL
MM USU Expo 2026
19–21 November 2026, Medan, Indonesia. The exact final schedule will be announced in WIB and UTC.
AWARDS
Prizes for both categories
TOTAL PRIZE POOL
Rp 10.000.000(≈ USD 625)
UNDERGRADUATE
1
1st Place
USD 135
2
2nd Place
USD 95
3
3rd Place
USD 65
MASTER'S / POSTGRADUATE
1
1st Place
USD 150
2
2nd Place
USD 105
3
3rd Place
USD 75
SPECIAL AWARDS
Best Digital Innovation
Best International Paper
Best Presentation
JUDGES
Meet the judging panel
Dr. Sitti Aminah Baharuddin
Coordinator AAGBS, UiTM Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
The judging panel may still change.
JOIN THE CHALLENGE!
Scan the QR code or open the link below to register your team. Registration is free of charge.
bit.ly/InternationalBusinessInnovationPaperChallenge2026 
PARTICIPANT GUIDEBOOK
Participant guidebook for the MM USU International Business Innovation Paper Challenge 2026.
bit.ly/CONTACT PERSONS · WHATSAPP ONLY