UNAIR NEWS – Universitas Airlangga alumnus Lalu Ary Kurniawan Hardi was appointed as Nicolaus Copernicus University’s best graduate. Ary gained a perfect GPA of 5.00. In 2021, he was also appointed as the best graduate from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UNAIR with a 3.98 GPA.
“Alhamdulillah, I’m delighted. I never imagined achieving the title of best graduate for the second time. Hopefully, the achievement isn’t about competing for prestige. Instead, it’s a reminder that I have a moral responsibility to do something impactful and beneficial for society,” he told UNAIR NEWS on Sunday, November 19, 2023.
Researching issues on International Law
While working on his thesis, the International Politics and Diplomacy student shared that he faced some difficulties. Earlier, he planned on exploring the procurement of military equipment in Indonesia’s defense system, but unfortunately it was difficult to collect the data. Therefore, he switched to international law.
It was a challenging decision as he had to delve deep in learning international law. “Considering my background in Politics, I have to be familiar with international laws terminologies. I need to allocate a lot of time to read international law books, which are filled with terms from the Greek language,” he said.
Due to his perseverance and hard work, Ary managed to finish his thesis with a perfect result. At first, he was nervous about the examiner who is a professional international lawyer. His multidisciplinary research, which combines political science with international law, made him even more nervous.
“It’s brand new for me. I had to read about various types of insurgency and legal perspectives from different countries. In the final semester, I also participated in numerous activities including conferences, summer camps, and research. It was truly challenging and demanding,” said the Mataram-origin student.
Using UNAIR’s learning culture
Ary’s achievements were greatly influenced by the learning culture at UNAIR. It helps him in pursuing his master’s degree. The cultures include expressing opinions, thinking critically, and being skeptical toward issues.
“UNAIR taught me to build critical thinking skills. I always apply that here. I ask questions to the professors in class, and they’re happy with that,” he said.
On the other hand, he believed that the learning culture in Poland is quite static. It makes the students not as inclined to speak up and be creative. When professors assign essays, they tend to stick to the pattern set by the professor. On the other hand, Indonesian students are creative and not so confined by the rules.
“The professors enjoy reading Indonesian students’ writing. That’s the learning culture I gained during my undergraduate studies that I apply here,” he said.
Teaching offer
Throughout his studies in Poland, Ary stays in touch with UNAIR. He took part in book publications as one of the authors. He will also take part as a community service facilitator and researcher at the Center for Security and Welfare Studies (CSWS) of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences UNAIR in Lombok this coming December.
“Recently, I just got a teaching offer from UNAIR. Next week, I’m going to go to Surabaya for the test. Hopefully, the result is good and I get to be a part of UNAIR soon. Wish me luck,” he said.
Give a hundred percent
In the end, Ary motivates students to give a hundred percent in everything they do. Many people know their goals but give up once they know that challenges are waiting at the peak.
“Don’t let the illusion deceive you. Just give a hundred percent. Trust God’s plan,” he said.
Author: Rafli Noer Khairam
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
