Crawford School of Public Policy

Anggita Arum Pertiwi was already thriving, working for the Indonesian Ministry of Finance before joining Crawford, but now, her new skills could set her on a different path in life, with making a difference always at the heart of her work.

Anggita was born and raised in a small Indonesian town in Central Java. Serving the community is in her blood. Both her parents are public servants in social work, helping people with disability. She says this strongly influenced her career and her drive as a person, as she aims to positively impact the lives of those around her.

The drive to study public policy stemmed from her desire to be able to contribute to the best of her ability in her career. She was already working at the Indonesian Ministry of Finance after studying accounting, but she said that it did not give her a comprehensive understanding of policy issues. She knew that in order to make a bigger difference, she needed to understand how it is formulated and implemented to help more people.

Crawford’s reputation preceded it, but it was also the strength of academics on Indonesian policy that was a big drawcard. She says, “This, I believed, would allow me to have the opportunity to discuss Indonesia policy inside or outside class, leading me to gain valuable insights that I can take and deepen my understanding of Indonesia’s policy.” She was able to attend thanks to the Australia Awards scholarship and with the support and encouragement from friends and family.

Studying Master of Public Policy at Crawford opened her eyes to the varied issues that Indonesia is facing, including broader socio-economic issues. “Topics in poverty, gender, and social protection have frequently been the focus of my assignments, putting my interest in a deeper understanding of how policies can impact people’s lives and improve their well-being,” Anggita added. These issues are among the major challenges the Indonesian government is striving to address, and the topics provided her with a clearer understanding of current policy in Indonesia, but also highlighted areas that require further attention and action.

However, it was topics she hadn’t explored that have shaped her future more than she could have expected. Anggita says it wasn’t until the last semester that she studied the role of aid and climate adaptation issues. Because of this, she’s now been inspired to consider her involvement in managing Indonesia Aid as a part of the Ministry of Finance and the climate impacts that Indonesia needs to be looking into as a priority.

The skills she has acquired will prove valuable in policy development, as she emphasizes that theory may not always be directly applicable. According to her, the context plays a crucial role in both policymaking and implementation. “As a policymaker, it is important to consider the context where the policy is being developed and implemented. While evidence-based decision-making is important, I have come to understand that policy is indeed shaped by various factors beyond scientific evidence (e.g. political consideration, available state budget); which taught me that as a policymaker, I must be able to navigate these complexities with a balanced approach, particularly with global policy challenges that has wider stakeholders and contexts involved.”

Her message for future Crawford students is to “interact with a diverse group of peers from various countries and backgrounds. Most of them, like me, are also engaged in the public sector. This creates an opportunity for us to learn from each other knowledge and experiences.” She also says that you need to utilise all the services that Crawford has on offer to make studying here a little easier, with “a special shout out also to the academic skills team, who also make the study in Crawford a bit easier, as on many occasions, Mark and Thuy’s advice has helped me to think critically about what I should do with my assignments.”

Anggita is hitting the ground running in January, returning to the Ministry of Finance in Indonesia, but she’ll first spend a few weeks with friends and family after being away for two years.

Congratulations on graduating, Anggita! We look forward to seeing where your new skills take you!