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POSCO Asia Fellowship 2025 Scholarship Essay
Building Asia's Future Together: Building Benefit Through Education and Sustainable
Infrastructure
Ardiansyah Kadir - Master of Civil Engineering, University of Indonesia
I believe that education is actually an oasis, a refresher in the middle of the
arid desert, the wider and deeper the oasis, the more life it can support. The higher
one goes in education, the greater our responsibility to spread its benefits. Knowledge
is not only for self-enrichment, but to be a source of benefit to the environment,
society, and even the nation. My name is Ardiansyah Kadir, the second of four
children. Currently, I am 33 years old, married, and blessed with a daughter who is
one of the biggest sources of enthusiasm in my life. Born and raised in a simple
family but full of passion for learning, I was raised with the value that education is
the most valuable legacy that can be given, not only for oneself but also for the next
generation. This value deepened with my role as the head of the family, pushing me
to constantly improve and set an example. Fully supported by my family, every step
of my studies is an investment to build a better future, not only for my family, but
also for the community and the nation.
I always try to learn hard to improve, and after completing my Bachelor's
degree in Civil Engineering, I started my professional career in the construction
industry, specializing in steel structures and infrastructure. I not only applied my
knowledge, but also proactively observed best practices applied by senior
professionals, solved field problems, and discussed across disciplines to understand
construction management holistically. This experience has led me to be entrusted
with strategic projects, ranging from public infrastructure to industrial warehouses,
which demand technical precision.
industrial warehouses, which demand technical precision, team coordination, and
precise time and quality management.
One of my professional achievements was being the sole company
representative in a multinational project collaboration overseas. There, I worked side
by side with representatives from various companies in Asian countries. My role not
only focused on the technical aspects of construction, but also included cross-cultural
coordination, strategic decision-making, as well as alignment of engineering
standards from different countries. Through solid cooperation and a structured
approach to work, our team successfully completed the project a month ahead of
schedule. This allowed the client to start operations earlier, which is projected to
increase their revenue potential by approximately 10% in the first quarter. This
success not only impacted the technical success of the project, but also helped cement
the company's reputation internationally as a reliable, adaptive and results-oriented
partner.
From first-hand experience in the field, I am often faced with serious
challenges in infrastructure maintenance, mainly due to weak asset management
systems. In many cases, attention is focused on physical development without a clear
sustainability strategy. In fact, infrastructure sustainability requires a planned system,
both in terms of maintenance, financing, and operations.
The realization of the gap further strengthened my view that today's civil
engineers do not only have to master the technical aspects, they need to be strategic,
communicative, and have a long-term vision of the social, economic, and
environmental impacts of any development. This experience shaped my awareness to
take on a more strategic role, and encouraged me to continue my postgraduate
education with a focus on infrastructure management. This year is my second year
pursuing a Master's degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Indonesia with a
specialization in Infrastructure Management precisely preparation for
semester three and currently preparing a thesis focusing on infrastructure asset
management.
preparing a thesis that focuses on infrastructure asset management, a topic that is
highly relevant to the challenges of sustainable development in developing countries.
I believe that an effective public or private asset management system can be a key
foundation for social and economic progress, especially in the rapidly growing Asian
region. In the previous semester, I managed to maintain a Grade Point Average
(GPA) of 3.61, which reflects my commitment in combining academic seriousness
and activeness outside the classroom.
Outside of academic activities, I actively participate in various trainings,
engineering communities, and young professional forums as a form of commitment in
broadening horizons and cross-sector networking. Currently, I am a participant of
Technosciencepreneurship Camp, a training program that focuses on developing
technology and science-based entrepreneurs, which encourages participants to think
innovatively in answering future development challenges. In addition, I actively
participate in training on infrastructure asset optimization, as well as being actively
involved in the Young Engineers Festival, an event for sharing ideas and
collaboration between young engineers in Indonesia. This involvement has been a
valuable learning space for me to continue to grow as an adaptive, innovative and
collaborative person and professional.
Going through a professional journey and the opportunity to return as a
student is an important momentum for me. It paves the way to explore the science of
Civil Engineering, expand networks, increase academic and professional
contributions, and improve competencies. I believe that building infrastructure is not
only about physical construction, but also about building a civilization with values,
vision, and sustainability in it.
Through the POSCO Asia Fellowship 2025, I hope to significantly develop
my intellectual and leadership capacity, network with visionary young leaders from
across Asia, and take on a greater role in the development of civilization.
in driving inclusive, resilient and sustainable infrastructure transformation in the
region. Going forward, I plan to be actively involved in public policy formulation and
infrastructure strategic planning, particularly in the areas of asset management and
infrastructure development in Indonesia. Furthermore, I aspire to establish a
collaborative platform that bridges the academic, industry, and government sectors to
accelerate the adoption of innovation and sustainable infrastructure management in
Indonesia and the region, where I can also play a teaching and facilitating role.
The support from POSCO Asia Fellowship 2025 will be an important bridge
for me to realize these goals. This scholarship will not only help me complete my
studies optimally, but also provide access to knowledge ecosystems, international
collaborations, and regional perspectives that will be crucial in shaping my future
contributions. Amidst the complexity of Asia's development challenges, I believe that
with knowledge, a spirit of cross-country collaboration, and a strong desire to share
the benefits, we can together build a more resilient and competitive future for Asia.
