The benefits of pursing higher education at Flinders University have proved crucial to Professor Pratikno (PhD(SS) ’97, DUniversity ’13), who has risen from studying Indonesian politics to now be a central figure in the current Indonesian government.
As Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister of Human Development and Cultural Affairs, Professor Pratikno plays a key role in President Prabowo’s Cabinet. It is his third term in Indonesia’s Cabinet, having previously served as Ministry of State Secretariat from 2014 to 2019 and for a second term from 2019 to 2024.
Born in a remote village in East Java, which first gained access to electricity in 1994, Professor Pratikno did not let his humble beginnings deter him from grand ambitions, and he realised that education laid down his pathway to success.
His higher education studies are extensive, having graduated in 1985 from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, where he studied Public Administration. He then received a Master’s degree in Development Administration from Birmingham University before coming to Flinders University in 1992, to study for a Doctoral degree in Asian Studies.
“I chose Flinders University because of its strong reputation in the field of research I intended to pursue, which was the study of democratisation and local politics in developing countries,” says Professor Pratikno.
“At that time, in 1992, Flinders had several lecturers who were internationally recognised by scholars and highly regarded as experts in this field.”
He is especially complementary of the teaching standards and learning environment that he enjoyed at Flinders.
“As a doctoral student, I was provided with excellent facilities. I had access to a proper workspace, a well-equipped library that offered literature consultation services, approachable faculty members in the department, regular departmental discussions every Wednesday, and shared lunches with the lecturers, which allowed me to get to know them better and exchange ideas with academics from other departments as well.”
Professor Pratikno says receiving an Australia Awards Scholarship enabled him to pursue his doctoral studies at Flinders, which proved a vital step in his academic career.
“Undertaking a PhD in Australia taught me self-discipline, how to learn independently from a wide range of sources, and how to develop original thinking,” he says.
“Flinders trained me to become an effective learner, someone who embraces new knowledge and develops original thinking in response to the challenges I face. This is what makes graduates from Australia better equipped to respond contextually to evolving challenges and opportunities.
“It has proved to be so important for me, because the role of the academic is key in policy making.”
This skill set has enabled Professor Pratikno to succeed in many important roles. He was previously Dean of the Faculty of Social and Political Science at Gadjah Mada University before becoming Rektor of the University in 2012 (he resigned in 2014 after being appointed State Secretary of Indonesia).
Professor Pratikno is also active in various professional organisations, including the Indonesian Association of Political Sciences, the Indonesian Association of Government Studies, and the Asian Consortium for Political Research.
He has ensured that ties remain close between Flinders and Indonesia, playing a key role in building the University’s Jembatan initiative – and for this he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Flinders in 2013.
“Flinders played an important role in my education and I have been delighted to maintain close ongoing links with the University,” says Professor Pratikno.