Medan, Thursday (29 October 2026) – The Dean of the Faculty of Law, Universitas Sumatera Utara (FH USU), Dr. Mahmul Siregar, S.H., M.Hum., served as one of the speakers at a national seminar entitled “The Role of Academics in Building and Developing Arbitration in Indonesia.” The event was held to commemorate the 46th anniversary of the Indonesian National Board of Arbitration (BANI) Medan at the Bank Sumut Hall, Jalan Imam Bonjol, Medan.
At the seminar, Dr. Mahmul Siregar represented the academic community. His participation reaffirmed FH USU's commitment to actively contributing to the development of ideas and practices in out-of-court dispute resolution, particularly through arbitration.
The seminar featured several speakers from academia, legal practice, banking, and the judiciary. They included Prof. Huala Adolf, S.H., Ph.D. from the BANI Arbitration Center; Prof. Dr. Taufik Siregar, S.H., M.Hum., an advocate; Dr. Ihksan Lubis, S.H. from the Indonesian Notary Association (INI) of North Sumatra; Marcel Soekandar, S.H., M.Hum. from the banking sector; Efrata Happy Tarigan, S.H., M.H. from the Medan District Court; and Dr. Deni Purba, S.H., LL.M.
The Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, Dr. Azwir Agus, S.H., M.Hum., stated that the national seminar provided an opportunity to strengthen the role and standing of arbitration while encouraging universities to participate in the development of ideas, education, research, and arbitration practices in Indonesia.
“This event provides an important opportunity to strengthen the role of arbitration as an out-of-court dispute resolution mechanism while encouraging the active involvement of academics in the development of ideas, education, research, and arbitration practices in Indonesia,” he said.
According to Azwir, the development of arbitration is not solely the responsibility of arbitration institutions and legal practitioners. It also requires contributions from academics to establish a strong academic foundation and prepare competent human resources in the field of dispute resolution.
Academic contributions can take the form of research, scientific publications, the development of arbitration law doctrines, and studies on the implementation of laws and regulations as well as the effectiveness of arbitration awards. Strengthening arbitration-related content in university law curricula is also considered important to broaden students' understanding of non-litigation dispute resolution.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of BANI Medan, Prof. Dr. Tan Kamello, S.H., M.S., FCBArb, FIIArb, stated that the development of arbitration in Indonesia requires academic support to strengthen legal understanding and increase the business community's confidence in out-of-court dispute resolution mechanisms.
He noted that universities play a strategic role in producing research and academic perspectives that support the development of arbitration in terms of regulation, institutions, and dispute resolution practices.
He expressed his hope that the seminar would strengthen synergy among academics, legal practitioners, businesspeople, banking institutions, and judicial institutions.
“I hope this seminar will serve as a forum for exchanging ideas to address the increasingly complex challenges of business dispute resolution while broadening public understanding of arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism in accordance with applicable laws and regulations,” he said.
The event was also attended by the Chairperson of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) of North Sumatra, representatives of KADIN Medan, business associations, advocates, notaries, banking representatives, lecturers, and students.
Azwir, who also serves as the Chairperson of the Medan Branch of the Indonesian Advocates Association (PERADI), stated that the involvement of these various stakeholders reflected the importance of building a shared understanding of arbitration as an instrument for resolving disputes arising from business relationships and economic activities. He hoped that the anniversary celebration would not merely be ceremonial but would also generate ideas and recommendations to support the development of national arbitration.
“Through this event, BANI Medan hopes that institutional strengthening, improvements in the competence of arbitration practitioners, and the development of academic perspectives can continue to advance in addressing future challenges in dispute resolution,” Azwir said.
The participation of the FH USU Dean in this seminar is expected to strengthen collaboration between academia and arbitration institutions while encouraging the development of legal studies and research that contribute to the advancement of out-of-court dispute resolution in Indonesia.