From Wednesday to Saturday (15-18 May), the Student Executive Board (BEM) of the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) UNY sent seven delegates to the 1st Congress of the Indonesian Economics Student Forum (FMEI). Hosted by the Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Indonesia (FEB UI), the event centered on a Grand Conference and a Follow-up Plan.

FMEI serves as a platform for economics students across Indonesia to engage in discussions on critical national economic issues. This forum not only fosters active dialogue but also emphasizes practical solutions. Students critically analyze issues and propose policy-oriented inputs, which are then presented directly to government stakeholders. The theme of the 2024 inaugural congress was "Green Economy," held over four days and attended by representatives from 17 universities.

Hafidzun Shadiq, the Head of FMEI for 2023-2024, described the forum as a space for students to express their ideals, insights, and theories gained from academic studies. He emphasized that FMEI's mission aligns with advancing Indonesia’s economic progress. "We at Airlangga University stress the importance of the Green Economy in this FMEI. The government should focus more on this topic, as it’s crucial for the current economic landscape," Shadiq noted.

Echoing Shadiq's sentiments, Aji Fajar Ramdani, Head of BEM KM FEB UNY, highlighted the importance of the Green Economy in raising awareness among all stakeholders, especially policymakers. He stressed that the government has the power to implement economic policies that not only promote growth but also address social and environmental impacts.

The congress kicked off with a talk show, featuring opening remarks from Sandiaga Uno, Indonesia's Minister of Tourism & Creative Economy. The event continued with three main sessions: the initial grand deliberation, small forums, and the final deliberation with a follow-up plan. The first grand deliberation, led by Hafidzun Shadiq, an Accounting student at Airlangga University, set the stage for subsequent discussions. On the second day, smaller forums took place, focusing on topics through a chairman's forum, an external forum, and a castrate forum.

The congress culminated in the follow-up plan session, where students presented their discussion outcomes in the form of policy proposals to government representatives. This session was attended by Parjiono, Ph.D., a macroeconomic and international finance expert from the Ministry of Finance. The proposals were submitted in both presentation and hard copy formats, with Parjiono receiving them directly for further consideration. (bem)