Stanford GSB Indonesia Study Trip Participants

This night I received a special guest, namely participants on a study trip from the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB) in California, United States. Stanford GSB is where I obtained my Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 2001.

While studying in the MBA program I also minored in a Global Management Program. I was actively involved in this program aimed at getting Stanford GSB students to develop an international outlook. Even though Forbes Magazine named Stanford GSB as the number one university in the United States (each year they only accept about 300 students), their students still need to develop a broader perspective, including learning about other countries, such as Indonesia.

This trip was part of their study tour to Indonesia and Singapore. This was a chance for Indonesians to promote their country, to introduce our strong points, including matters which are being improved. On top of that, these participants were the cream of the crop, some of whom may go on the become world leaders.

There were 35 post-graduate students hailing from eleven countries: America, Brazil, Canada, Australia, Singapore, the Ukraine, the Philippines, Russia, Mexico and Indonesia. At first they just wanted to study the business and economic developments in Indonesia. However, I suggested that they also look into the social and political developments in Indonesia, as a part of the formation, history, direction and character of the nation. For that reason I arranged for them to attend a discussion with figures and leaders from those fields.

In the coming three days (20-23 December 2009), they are going to meet with Indonesia’s leaders and decision-makers, such as Vice President Boediono, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani, Minister of Trade Mari Pangestu, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Radjasa, Head of the BKPM Gita Wiryawan, leaders of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce, leader of the 88th Anti-Terrorism Special Detachment (Police) Brig. Gen. Tito Karnavian, Vice Chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission Chandra Hamzah, and activists in the areas of democracy, modernization, and Islam, such as Anies Baswedan, Yeni Wahid, Zulkifliemansyah, and young politician Anas Urbaningrum.

I hope that this will be an interesting and impressive trip for them, so that later on they will pay special attention to Indonesia. Even though there are various shortcomings, I want Indonesia to become a country which they do not underestimate. Presently, Indonesia has been gaining world attention, and is included in elite ranks of the world in the field in the fields of economics and politics. At the G20 meeting, for instance, Indonesia represented the Southeast Asian region—even Singapore was not included there. Indonesia has also emerged in the terminology of new world economic power, such as in the terms Chindonesia or BRIICS (Brazil, Russia, India, Indonesia, China, and South Africa).

At the very least, through this visit I hope that they can see that Indonesia is a complete country, culture, community, and people. More importantly, their eyes can be opened that Indonesia is a ‘Nation on the Move,’ a country which is moving forward.