I have been doing this for more than a decade. It was 2015 for the first time. I was asked to talk to young Indonesians who were preparing their journey to study master and PhD degree with LPDP scholarship. Talking to bright young Indonesia has always been encouraging. Since the first event, I have been doing it for more than twenty times, now.
The last one was on 5 May 2026. I, once again, spoke to hundreds of optimistic young Indonesians who are paving their way to the future. The future of Indonesia. I could feel if from the way they responded to my speech. I could see it from the way they stared at my presentation. I felt the energy.
I gave a talk on how to be an intellectual. The title was a little bit too big but I understand that we need to think and talk big to those brilliant minds. I shared my views and experiences in studying overseas. Most importantly, i also shared how the study have changed my life significantly. Surely, I also share how they can contribute o the development of Indonesia after completing their study.
The session was special also because I met two of my former students at the Department of Geodetic Engineering. They are preparing their journey for master and PhD degree. It is so rewarding to see my own students progressing in their life. I wish them good lucks! They are our future change makers. They are our hope!