NEWS

On Saturday, June 14, 2025, a team from APU claimed first place at PMI (Project Management Institute) Region9 Project Management Case Competition Global Finals, held in Taiwan.

The competition, which featured 99 participating projects from across the Asia-Pacific, aimed to promote strategic thinking and sustainable impact through the application of project management tools. The APU team named ElderCare Connectors tackled the issue of elderly care with their project ECC: ElderCare Connect—a dual-interface platform that combines a simplified emergency-response device for elderly users and a caregiver monitoring app for family and medical staff.

The judges recognized the team for their:

• Human-centered design that prioritized accessibility for older adults
• Excellent use of project management tools such as the Waterfall model, RACI charts, and risk matrices
• Impactful storytelling, especially through the fictional persona “Granny Love” which helped humanize the problem
• The solution’s scalability and sustainability, with potential application beyond Japan

The team was mentored by Assistant Professor PHAM Tam Long from the College of International Management

Team Members

JHA Ashmi (College of International Management, 3rd year, India)
GRATIA Dearios Ompusunggu (College of International Management, 3rd year, Indonesia)
SALSABILA Nur Amelia (College of International Management, 3rd year, Indonesia)
SU Myat No Wai (College of International Management, 3rd year, Myanmar)

[Student Reflections]

JHA Ashmi

To those considering joining future editions of the PMI Region 9 Competition, go for it. This is not just a contest of ideas, but a test of leadership, collaboration, and your ability to think beyond yourself. You don’t need to be a tech wizard or a PMI-certified professional. What matters is having a clear purpose, a strong team, and the drive to apply project management principles effectively. Take feedback seriously, iterate on your prototype, and don’t underestimate the power of storytelling.

PMI offers a safe, structured way to practice real-world leadership. You’ll gain practical skills—and more importantly, the confidence to lead change in your own community.

GRATIA Dearios Ompusunggu

To anyone considering PMI Region 9, honestly, just try it. The experience was intense, but also very fun. We learned a lot, made new friends, and got to see how other teams think. If you’re not sure about joining, just go for it and see where it takes you. Sometimes things work out better than you expect.