Graduate Studies Blog
NANYANG FELLOWS MBA
Building Leadership Capabilities in the ASEAN public sector
Dr Ernie Widianty Rahardjo—the Nanyang Fellows MBA Programme Alumna, Class of 2009
Dr Ernie Widianty (right) receiving the Nanyang Fellows Distinguished Alumni award from Prof Subra Suresh, President, Nanyang Technological University during the NF20 Award Presentation.
For urban commuters in the bustling Indonesian capital city of Jakarta, a commuting lifeline opened up only recently in March 2019. This was the inauguration of MRT Jakarta—Indonesia’s first-ever integrated mass rapid transit system.
Making history as part of this venture is Dr Ernie Widianty Rahardjo, Risk, Quality and Safety Management Division Head at PT. Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta. She is also a Nanyang Fellows (NF) MBA Programme Class of 2009 alumna.
The MRT project is no mean feat. It is the country’s first international infrastructure project managed by the local government in Indonesia. “This project had many firsts,” shares Dr Ernie.
The task of such gargantuan proportions required her to learn new skills and stretch her capabilities. “I needed to bring my management knowledge up to par with the international standards,” Dr Ernie remarks.
So, she decided to enrol in the NF MBA programme. “I enrolled in the NF MBA programme as I believed that it was the right avenue for me to develop my business knowledge and leadership skills,” she says.
The Nanyang experience proved quite valuable. “I gained insights from the NTU alumni network who shared their enriching experiences while studying in a class with fellows from a multi-cultural background in a world-class University,” shares Dr Ernie.
Driving transformation in the public sector across the ASEAN
The NF MBA programme is specifically designed to provide quality education to enable public sector officials to drive transformation in their home countries. “There was a lot of learning packed into this intensive one-year course. Most interesting for me was the focus on soft managerial skills through networking sessions, leadership training and business interactions,” says Dr Ernie.
“With its unique curriculum and the emphasis on sharing the best practices across the ASEAN region, the NF MBA programme is playing a pivotal role in creating a knowledge-sharing network.”
The NF MBA programme was set-up in 1998 by Singapore’s former President Dr Tony Tan when he was the Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore. The clear vision of the programme was to build leadership capabilities in the ASEAN region. It was started with the hope that Singapore can play its part to contribute to the ASEAN region by developing an MBA programme specifically for the public sector officers.
Dr Ernie shares that she joined the programme to learn more about the corporate management approach and to gain from the strong alumni network. “I am still in contact with several Indonesian alumni from my 2008 class and other alumni from different years in the Jakarta Provincial Government,” she says.
Upon returning from her studies, Dr Ernie put all her business knowledge to immediate use. “I was excited to join the planning phase of the MRT project. I knew that this project wasn’t going to be easy. However, it would be an important milestone and a positive legacy we want to leave for future generations,” she shares.
Strengthening ties across borders
Dr Ernie notes that the knowledge and expertise she gained during this project can now be used to create a knowledge-sharing mechanism that can help other public sectors in Indonesia. “I realised that what I had learned during the NF MBA programme could also be applied by my colleagues in other public sectors, such as managing a public hospital or health centres and local state-owned enterprise,” Dr Ernie notes.
Therefore, she initiated a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore)and the Jakarta Provincial Government to strengthen this cooperation further. “I continue to work in the public sector with MRT Jakarta to show that corporate management is applicable across different sectors,” she shares.
Cultivating such skills has become more pertinent for future ASEAN leaders, shares Dr Ernie. “ASEAN has become more integrated and borderless with the strengthening of our economic ties. That is why aspiring leaders must be prepared to develop new proficiencies to remain competitive through programmes like the NF MBA.”
