NANYANG MBA

From Indonesia to Singapore: Five Invaluable Lessons from Nanyang MBA Alumni

What do our Nanyang MBA alumni from Indonesia – Ashyari Sastrosubroto, Meta Pramasetio, and Steven Surja – all have in common?

All three share a willingness to break out of their respective comfort zones. They were also ready to do what it took to invest in themselves – by putting in the extra effort to realise the full potential of the career track they were pursuing. This pushed them to pursue a Nanyang MBA in Singapore, over a thousand kilometres away from home.

We asked Ashyari, Meta, and Steven about their Nanyang MBA experience. They shared five key takeaways from their time at Nanyang Business School (NBS), and their journey toward becoming innovative thinkers with a global perspective.

“On the job” learning can only take you so far

At the very start of his consulting career, Steven hoped to gain a couple of years of hands-on experience to help him see “what it’s generally like working in the industry.” However, when the pandemic hit, Steven found himself with plenty of time to reconsider.

“I decided to start early in the hopes of accessing a higher-level network, gaining more opportunities in the market, and possibly relocating to Singapore,” he recalls.

It took Meta three years of working as an auditor to act on her “strong desire to embark on a new journey”. An MBA programme was the logical next step to help Meta go beyond her bachelor’s degree in accounting, to “gain a broader perspective and evaluate new opportunities.”

For his part, Ashyari found his engineering background to be less relevant as he got promoted to higher positions. His responsibilities became more managerial: “I was spending more time in a meeting room than on a project site,” he recalls. “As these new tasks demanded a new set of skills, taking up an MBA was a very natural decision.”

The right programme matters – so does the right location

One doesn’t need to go to Europe or the U.S. to pursue a world-class MBA. In fact, it may even be more strategic to choose a programme closer to home.

Meta’s decision to study at NBS, for example, was ”influenced by [her] desire to study and work in Singapore.” The MBA track in Banking and Finance also “aligned with [her] goal of pursuing a career in the financial services industry.”

Steven was attracted to Singapore due to its “reputation for good education and quality of life as well as career growth and prospects.” As for a specific programme, Steven chose the Nanyang MBA programme “because of how it ties together entrepreneurship and technology,” especially given the impact of technological advancements on the global economy at the time.

Ashyari felt that NBS’s location was more relevant to his Indonesia-centred career plans. He had spent time working in the Middle East, where his existing networks and work experience did not apply. “I wanted my MBA to provide not only relevant knowledge, but also relevant networks and other relevant learnings.”

The Nanyang MBA teaches you to be agile in a rapidly changing world

Though the intensity of the Nanyang MBA can be quite demanding, it was essential to these alumni’s growth. For one, it taught them to be active participants, to make their voices heard when and where it mattered.

“The case discussions can get pretty intense,” shares Steven. “If you don’t raise your hand, you never get a chance to speak. Everyone’s experiences and knowledge enriched the quality of their contributions.”

The Nanyang MBA also trained these alumni to think on their feet. For Meta, the intensity of concurrent assignments and team projects taught her to learn quickly and adapt beyond her previous expertise. “The final project was especially challenging, as it introduced me to new topics and required rapid adaptation,” she shares.

All in all, having experience in these kinds of intense environments helped these Nanyang MBA alumni adapt more quickly whenever disruptions arise, as with Ashyari’s internship experience.

“I learnt that business problems are naturally chaotic and ambiguous,” notes Ashyari, “and an MBA graduate should be able to put everything into place, in a way that is structured so that everyone can make sense of it. Acknowledging this helped me become more agile in my career.”

The Nanyang MBA is a safe space to learn from one’s mistakes

Business leaders are often wary of trying new ideas, because mistakes can gravely affect the bottom line. The Nanyang Business School is the antidote to fear: “It’s a very safe space for people to make mistakes,” explains Ashyari.

This “safety net” helped push our Indonesian alumni to challenge their own capabilities. For Ashyari, this meant competing in the John Molson International Case Competition (JMCC), where the intensity of in-class case discussions and assignments came in handy.

“We were given a real-life case, and after hours of discussion, we presented our ideas,” he recalls. “The vibe was very competitive – definitely an experience that changed my life for the better.” 

An MBA gives a good ROI–if you make the most of your time

Though some MBAs can take up to five years to complete, ambitious professionals can choose to pursue the Nanyang MBA on a part-time or full-time basis, with the former taking two years and the latter taking one year to complete.

The one-year term was particularly appealing to Meta. “It was a one-year course, which would enable me to resume my career and progress more quickly compared to other programmes,” she explains.

Steven echoes this, pointing out: “The part-time programme would have taken me two years to complete. By contrast, taking the one-year programme meant I could return more quickly to the workforce, making it a good return on investment.”

That said, obtaining an MBA degree shouldn’t only be for the sake of adding it to one’s resume. Steven stresses that how you spend your time during the MBA will directly impact what you get out of it.

“It’s not just about getting the degree,” he says. “Be mindful about where you’re starting from, where you’re aiming to go, and how you’ll make the best use of this one year to grow.”

Conclusion: Priceless professional experiences

The invaluable skills, connections, and insights delivered by their experience in the Nanyang MBA prepared these three Indonesia alumni to level up in their respective industries.

Professionals in Indonesia hoping to pursue the Nanyang MBA would do well to take these alumni’s experiences to heart, whether you plan to take your learnings home to Indonesia or pursue career opportunities across the globe.

The Nanyang MBA is a full-time or part-time programme tailored to equip participants with the business skills they need to thrive in today’s rapidly changing digital world. The programme seeks to develop culturally adept and future-ready leaders that can quickly adapt and innovate in global environments.

Applications are currently open. We are also accepting scholarship applications. Click here to learn more.

The Nanyang MBA is a flexible 12-month or 18-month programme designed to fuel your growth into a future-ready leader equipped with the skills needed to excel in a global, digital environment. The programme aims to develop impactful, culturally adept leaders who embrace the connection between business, technology, and innovation to excel in global environments and adapt to each new wave of digital change.