Audrey Valensya Nabilla, a Management student at the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FEB UGM), won the Best Paper Award at the 2nd International Conference on Global Business & Digital Economy 2026, held at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on September 29–30, 2026.
Audrey’s achievement is particularly remarkable, as her paper was selected for the award from among 82 other research papers. The international conference brought together participants from 17 countries, including researchers, academics, and postgraduate students. Audrey was one of the youngest presenters and one of the few undergraduate students to present her research before hundreds of academics from around the world.
Audrey received the award for research based on her undergraduate thesis, which examined public trust in Indonesia’s digital payment system, Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS). Her thesis supervisor, Dr. Rangga Almahendra, S.T., M.M., recognized the potential of her research to be developed into a scientific paper and presented at an international conference.
“At first, I felt intimidated because most of the other participants were lecturers and master’s or doctoral students. However, Dr. Rangga strongly reassured me that this research was of a quality that could compete at the international level,” Audrey said.
Audrey’s research addressed an issue highly relevant to Indonesia’s current digital economy: the adoption of QRIS, a digital payment system developed by Bank Indonesia. The study examined whether government interventions and policies in providing digital infrastructure could foster greater public trust in digital payment platforms.
In developing the paper, Audrey was accompanied by Dr. Rangga, who served as her thesis supervisor and the paper’s second author. The paper also benefited from the contribution of Eko Heru Prasetyo, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Science, Tokyo, who served as the third author.
Audrey’s research complemented Dr. Rangga’s work on digital transformation and the digital economy, as well as Eko’s research on algorithmic management and the gig economy. This collaboration brought together their respective areas of expertise, strengthening the paper’s analytical depth and comprehensiveness.
After her abstract was accepted, Audrey had approximately one week to complete the full paper. With guidance from both collaborators, she condensed her 140-page undergraduate thesis into a 17-page academic paper.
“The process required considerable effort because I was working on my thesis and the paper simultaneously. This was also my first time participating in an academic conference,” Audrey said.
Audrey admitted that she was surprised when her name was announced as the award recipient. She described the achievement as a valuable experience and an opportunity to represent FEB UGM on the international academic stage.
“I was completely surprised when my name was announced. The people around me immediately applauded. This was an extraordinary achievement for me, and I was delighted to represent FEB UGM on the international stage,” she recalled.
Audrey hopes her experience will encourage other students to pursue academic development opportunities, including presenting their research at international scientific forums.
“My message to my fellow FEB UGM students is never to be afraid when an opportunity comes your way. Do not hesitate to try; take the first step. If you fail, it is part of the learning process. But if you succeed, the result can be incredibly rewarding,” she concluded.
Dr. Rangga also expressed his pride in Audrey’s achievement as one of his students.
“My role as a thesis supervisor is to help students discover and become the best versions of themselves. This achievement is entirely the result of Audrey’s hard work. I was there behind the scenes to motivate her and open doors for her,” he said.
Reporting: Najwa Anggi Namira
Editor: Kurnia Ekaptiningrum
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