Lecturers and Students from Polman Negeri Babel Achieve Success at the 2025 Maliki International Biology Competition
A team of lecturers and students from the Precision Agriculture Study Program at the Bangka Belitung State Manufacturing Polytechnic successfully earned first runner-up and a silver medal at the 2025 Maliki International Biology Competition (MIBC), held at the Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic University (UIN) Malang.
This prestigious competition took place from August 23–30, 2025, and attracted dozens of teams from various universities in Indonesia and abroad. Polman Babel sent representatives consisting of lecturers Mahmudin, M.Sc., Limartaida Siahaan, M.Sc., and student Fathir Rahman, who competed in the research project category.
When contacted on Monday (September 01, 2025), Mahmudin, M.Sc., expressed his gratitude for his team's achievement. "Winning first runner-up and a silver medal is the result of the dedication, hard work, and high fighting spirit of all team members," he said.
Mahmudin emphasized that this victory is not just an academic achievement, but also a concrete demonstration of the potential of local children to compete at the global level.
"This makes the campus proud, brings honor to Bangka Belitung, and inspires the younger generation to continue working hard, remain humble, and never stop learning," he added.

Meanwhile, Limartaida Siahaan, M.Sc., stated that this achievement has motivated her to continue participating in similar competitions, both nationally and internationally. She added, "Events like MIBC encourage creativity, particularly in the agricultural sector, which is currently a government focus on strengthening food security."
"In fact, through competitions, we are trained to think critically, develop innovative ideas, and introduce Polman Babel to the international community. The research content of the competition demands originality, as it involves renowned universities with very stringent research standards."
The Polman Babel team had to go through a lengthy selection process. Participants initially submitted a scientific essay for the paper submission stage. Of the many applicants, only 15 teams advanced to the grand final," she said.
In the final round, each team was given five minutes for their presentation and a ten-minute question-and-answer session with the panel of judges. "This section was a major challenge because there was very little time to explain the entire research results," Limartaida explained.
Nevertheless, the PPS Polman Babel team managed to maximize their opportunity with a solid and cohesive presentation. As a result, the panel of judges named them the Silver Medal winners and first runner-up at MIBC 2025.
"Thankfully, everything went smoothly, and Polman Babel was able to take home this award," she concluded.
