Aldino Fajri
Team Leader – Policy, Standards, Evaluation and Housing Disaster Mitigation, Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas, Jakarta, Indonesia
Master of Engineering Project Management with Honours (First Class)
He gained a lot of valuable knowledge during his Master of Engineering Project Management, says Aldino Fajri, who came to AUT as an international student from Indonesia.
“I chose this degree to help me develop skills for my future plans. I wanted to gain advanced knowledge of project management, specifically in engineering projects. Thanks to the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP), which fully funded my studies, I had the opportunity to have a great time at AUT.
“With its world-class facilities and highly experienced lecturers, AUT exceeded my expectations. One of my most memorable experiences was learning about the role of economics and finance in projects. The subject required me to understand the annual report of a specific company, and thanks to my lecturer I could consult with an industry professional, which was a great experience. Because of this subject, I can now analyse a company’s financial situation and make basic forecasts about its future performance.”
Studying in New Zealand
For Aldino, his time at AUT was his first experience of studying abroad.
“It was challenging at first because I had to adapt to a new country and culture, but AUT is a university that respects diversity and is very supportive of international students. Dr Funmi Rotimi played a crucial role in my time at AUT. She is a wonderful person who always motivates her students. In addition, Professor John Tookey and Professor Ali Ghaffarianhoseini equipped me with many research and project management skills that will be very useful for my future career. I didn’t expect to graduate with first-class honours – I truly didn’t expect this result, and it made me very grateful and boosted my confidence.”
He has some great advice for other students who are only at the start of their own university journey.
“AUT is a university with many facilities, so make the most of them to support your studies. Maintain good communication with your supervisors, and they’ll give you very useful feedback. And most importantly, enjoy your time at AUT!”
Making a positive impact
After graduating from AUT in mid-2025, Aldino has now returned to Indonesia, where he works for the Ministry of Housing and Settlement Areas.
“What I appreciate most about my role is that I can create policies that have an immediate impact on society, especially in the housing and settlement sector. With the research skills I learned at AUT, I can base policies on research and consider more comprehensive aspects.”
He is proud of what he has already achieved in his career at the ministry.
“Being promoted to team leader right after I returned to my country is an honour for me, and AUT unexpectedly sharpened my leadership skills through my programme. I’m aware of how the leadership styles I adopt affect my team and of how I should maintain communication with stakeholders.”
