Scholarship / MY CONTRIBUTION FOR MY COUNTRY - Career Plan Question for Chevening [2]

Hi, guys..
I have finished drafting my essay for career plan question of Chevening. Please help me to proof-reading, check, and correct, also I am waiting for your constructive feedback, comment and what so ever to make it better.

Thank you in advance..

Chevening is looking for individuals who have a clear post-study career plan. Please outline your immediate plans upon returning home and your longer term career goals. You may wish to consider how these relate to what the UK government is doing in your country. (minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

My goal after Chevening

Indonesia, which has three-quarter of marine territory, is establishing bilateral cooperation with UK in the field of maritime. It will develop coastal area through simultaneous construction of harbors, fish storage buildings, and water supply infrastructure to stimulate economic development by maximizing coastal potentials as well as creating jobs. One program that has been doing by MPWH is conducting specific water supply system for coastal area with reverse osmosis (RO). RO still becomes one and only water supply option for coastal area and small islands for now because PDAMs cannot deliver water to outer area of the regency. However, the management of RO is poor that leads to clean water deficiency. Hence, reliable and sustainable water management becomes a substantial part of strategic area development of Indonesia.

When I have finished my master study and returned to Indonesia, I am thinking of playing a role in helping government to make standard number of water supplied that can meet all sectors need and be adapted of population and area development escalation. I will do this by starting work in environmental companies, specifically in environmental management consultant firms for water. The knowledge and skills I attained from MSc in Water Management at UK would be the key factor to deal with problems and challenges regarding to manage water sustainably yet credibly. Furthermore, I could have comprehensive understanding on tackling water management issues by applying modeling analysis to simulate quantity of clean water for coastal, urban and agriculture area through various government projects. The sustainable water management is necessary for long lasting water infrastructure in Indonesia.

My other immediate plan is being a researcher on Environment and Maritime field of research at Indonesian Institute of Research (LIPI), a non-ministerial government research institution. The amount and quality of research are the main factors of national development. Through research, I can improve the quality of raw water that used to clean and drinking water and collaborate with multi-disciplined researchers to make innovation for better water sector development of Indonesia. In addition, it will enhance research and innovation as Indonesia and UK have solid partnership in the same field that will be profitable aspect for both countries.

Combining these two experiences working on private and government sector, I'm having long term goal to establish water control center in my hometown, Bali, which will function to control and manage water flow entire province. This center also will be used to be one of best practices on managing water for other provinces or regencies. It would motivate other governors managing their water resources through workshops and trainings from national and international experts, thus finally make sustainable water management all over Indonesia. I also propose to tighten Indonesia-UK partnership through this human resource capacity building. I strongly believe taking master degree in UK through Chevening would provide me with knowledge, skills, experiences and network relation I needed that could embark my future careers, even further contribute to better future of my beloved country.

Scholarship / STRONG NETWORKING PREPARES ME TO BE READY IN THE FUTUTRE - Networking Question for Chevening [3]

Hello, friends..
I hope you would proof-read my essay about networking skills for Chevening and can give me corrections and feedback on grammar, coherence, or whatsoever to be able to make it better. I highly appraised any kind of helps..

Thank you in advance..

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong networking skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your networking skills, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future. (minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

strong coordination between people

In my opinion, networking is built through strong coordination between people involved in a group. I had a great opportunity to show my networking skills during my first job in Directorate of Water Supply System Development (WSSD), Ministry of Public Works and Housing of Indonesia. I participated in PDAMs debt accomplishment meeting in order to build my network with stakeholders in the field of water all over Indonesia. From the meeting, I got chance to coordinate with other stakeholders, such as Ministry of Home Affair, Ministry of Finance, and Local Governments as well as PDAMs. On the other occasion on foreign cooperation program in water supply development sector, I widen my relation to international donors, such as JICA, NICHE/IDN, IUWASH, and IndII. We started the program on determining PDAMs that would accept either technical or training assistance. I used my network relation from debt completion program to get PDAM directors and local governments attention. To generate willingness to participate, I led PDAMs visit which had good and bad performance together with the donors, guided discussion as well as explained benefits of the assistance that could be obtained. Near the short list finalization, I kept coordinating to the donor's PICs to follow up the progress, while me reporting compatibility of the assistances with national water supply system master plan to the boss. As the result, we made 80 short listed PDAMs that would get different assistance in 2016 and 2017 from the donors. Those assistances would help PDAMs increase their capability of supplying water.

I also tried to cooperate with as many as people when I worked in construction field. Working with people from civil and architectural engineering and accounting became pacesetter of my networking to get whole knowledge about infrastructure construction. Through various projects, I acquired project management life cycle along with the challenges during execution. Due to technical drawing modification, the project had retardation and the owner pushed my company to start it immediately. My company sent me to represent my boss on coordination meeting with Construction Management Company discussing some changes. As junior engineer, I asked the project leader's instructions what works should be prioritized in this tight schedule. To be able to finish it on time, I communicated the jobs to all divisions, included my boss, project manager, purchase, finance, and cost control division, to work effectively according to their own authority. This was really a great resource to learn preparation, execution, and review of ongoing project and experience to build network with multi-disciplined partners.

In the future, I will devote my opportunity to strengthen my network relation with Chevening community. I will invite Chevening awardees through actual and virtual forum criticizing water management condition in Indonesia. Besides that, this will encourage the community to presenting perspectives and exchanging experiences through integrated world culture on solving water management issues to stakeholders, engineers, and other parties.

Scholarship / My Suitability for The Course - Personal Statement of Exeter [2]

Dear, friends..
Kindly you give correction, feedback, and comment about grammar and coherence on my personal statement. It should be no more than circa 500 words in length, but I wrote 568 words. What to delete or improve to make it better. I highly appreciate any kind of help.

Thank you in advance..

Your personal statement should be no more than circa 500 words in length. Your personal statement should discuss:
1.Why you are applying to this degree programme;
2.Why you feel you are suited to this degree programme (and/or pathway if applicable);
3.What you would like to use the degree for post-graduation.

water engineering interest

I have always had high interest in studying water engineering. It was first evoked during my undergraduate study of Environmental Engineering at Bandung Institute of Technology and I chose to do final year research topic on rural water supply system. During my research, I evaluated and redesigned existing rural water supply system in West Java and my interest was further aroused when I worked alongside with local water companies' (PDAMs) in Indonesia. Most of PDAMs faced raw water scarcity that led to water supply reduction. The fact that only about 3.7% of utilized raw water has been used for urban puposes, moreover surface water resources have been contaminated by domestic and industry waste water. I have realized that due to my limitation, I would like to enhance my skills, which can render me become a qualified professional leader in water sector, for instance modeling analysis and integrated management. Therefore, I decide to apply Master Program of Water Engineering with Management at University of Exeter. The course not only covers engineering modules, but also provides me with management modules which will broaden my knowledge and skill to pursue my dream. By having solid foundation of modeling analysis through Programming and Hydroinformatics modules, I will be able to apply ICT by developing decision support system to solve urban water need issues. Next, learning Urban Drainage and Waste Water Management module will enhance my knowledge of managing storm water and waste water from human development area.

During my final project, I designed rural water supply distribution system using EPANET modeling tool. The application helped me to develop relevant skills on working accurately, determining a reasonable system, and adjusting technical things to make best simulation. I achieved a very high grade for my final project and I am keen to develop next research during my master study. Furthermore, my work experience at Directorate of Water Supply System Development, Ministry of Public Works and Housing of Indonesia allowed me to experience developing water supply system through all aspects. It required me to evaluate and observe water supply system comprehensively before giving aid or assistance to the selected regions in Indonesia. I wrote a report on my findings, for example PDAMs' performance, service coverage, and water resources availability, then offered technical and institutional solution, which was well received by my institution. This experience provides me with better understanding of water management issues, implications, and potential challenges in developing countries in order to propose approach to solve the problems. I convince that I am able to show my best performance in this program.

I am particularly keen to enroll in this program because of research interest and program reputation in water management. The link with university's Center for Water System will be an advantage for me to be able to learn advanced knowledge from recent development and latest research literature and outputs. The professional accreditation of this program will set me up with basic knowledge, understanding and skills to compete in globalization era reaching my future career.

By achieving MSc in this program, I would devote my knowledge on Indonesia's prioritized development to attain sustainable water management. I am going to start raising my career in consultant firm where I would put my new ability of applying simulation and integrated water management for urban development. I convince that I can make significant contribution trough leading water management project or possibly researching with government or NGO.

Scholarship / AGENT OF CHANGE IN THE FUTURE - Leadership and Influence Question for Chevening [4]

Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer. (minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

water sector agent

Being a leader has become part of my life since I was in university, and it is still being an ambition in the future. For me, a leader has to be able to bring good impact within the community. It was started when I was promoted as a head of Topics and Methods Division in Environmental Engineering community. I had to plan what environmental issues that should be shown up and how to deliver the issues to get government and public attention. I began with initiating brainstorms with division members to find subtopics of water pollution and pack them up into photography competition, water seminar, and reusable bag campaigns. When the day came, we succeeded executing national photography competition with terrible water condition and water seminar which was spoken by national decision maker. Moreover, we also made impressive influence of eco-lifestyle by persuading public to stop using plastic bags and use reusable bag that we gave for free through switching non environment friendly goods. After the events, most of them participated in reducing plastic waste yet looked more stylish using reusable bag in daily life.

From my working experience as coordinator of foreign cooperation program in water supply development sector, I learned that being a leader on national program needed strong coordination between stakeholders involved. At the beginning, I gathered all donors to get same perception and avoid over lapping authority. This program offered either technical or training assistance for free to increase water supply services through local water company (PDAM). Due to high demand of PDAMs which will be aided and time limitation, I decided to visit some PDAMs which have had good performance as an example to gain deeper understanding about water supply challenge in region level together with the donors. I also guided discussion between PDAM, local government, and donors as well as explained the benefits and opportunities of the assistance that could be obtained especially to PDAM and local government representatives. In the process of final decision, we kept following each other up and came to different short listed PDAMs that would be aided. To overcome it, I had to discuss the list with my boss in order to fit national development planning. I explained the differences and gave them suggestion to reanalyze based on PDAMs performances, services, water resources availability, local government support, and human resources. I highly appreciated the donors' works and sticking to our agreement. As the result, we made 80 short listed PDAMs that would get different assistance in 2016 and 2017. At the end of the program, PDAM representatives thanked to the program that was really helpful and led to performance improvement.

Those great experiences have developed my management, communication, and planning skills that will be valuable provision for my future career. I believe Chevening would move me forward. Sharing experiences and insights with future leaders and influencers candidate all over the world will develop my knowledge and vision to be one of agents of change in water sector for Indonesia.

Scholarship / University Choices in UK - Chevening Question [3]

Hello, friends..
I need comment and feedback for my essay regarding to Chevening application. Kindly you would help me to check about the content, coherence, grammar, and whatever that would make my essay better. I really appreciate any kind of help, thank you..

Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your plans for the future.

*Please do not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and education section of this form (minimum word count: 100 words, maximum word count: 500 words)

water management schools choice

I have high interest in applying technology to help decision maker managing water that used to public purposes and further development to prevent water scarcity. I have realized that become a qualified professional, who masters that two goals, not only enough titled as bachelor degree, but also need comprehensive integrating, planning, and analyzing abilities, which can be obtained in master education level.

I would like to mention that my bachelor study on Environmental Engineering and my previous work experience in-lined with my study in higher degree. My academic background had provided me with solid foundation of environmental aspects by developing bachelor thesis about rural water supply system. Then, my work experience in Ministry of Public Works and Housing resulted that most of local water companies (PDAMs) had low performance due to funding issue and limited water resources that caused insufficient water supply to community in regional level. This also revived my understanding in central government that the utilization of water resources led to conflicts of interest and unsynchronized national planning program.

I have chosen three universities that offer master program in water management.
First, the University of Exeter is ranked 13th in the UK by The Guardian University Guide and fifth in the UK among engineering subjects. The university offers water engineering course with management that more concentrated on water for urban development, which fits my future plans. The Hydroinformatics module in particular will help me how to apply ICT regarding to manage water resources with the population expanding. I am able to build my own decision support system up solving urban water needs issues in Indonesia with knowledge enhancement from Water Supply, Distribution, and Management in Development Countries modules. This course is also linked to the University of Exeter's Center for Water Systems, where I may learn and develop water loss reduction by PDAMs' assets optimization from the expertise lays there.

Second, I have selected master program in the University of Bristol because it provides theoretical and practical skills of governing water processes and environment sustainably. The course is completed with Integrated Catchment Management module, which involves different sectors needing water resources. This enable me to use computing analysis dealing with water resources conflicts of interest in Indonesia by applying integrated planning of surface water combine with appropriate policy and regulation from Environmental Management, Policy, and Regulation module. It is also taught by leading practitioners, including academic and industrial experts, therefore I can gain deeper knowledge about water crisis prevention.

Last, I have also chosen master course in University of Southampton due to unique consolidation of applied, scientific and participatory research in water environment combine with natural sciences, critical assessment, and management aspect. I am interested in learning how to control water resources quantity and quality by conducting accurate assessment of the potential and existing impact on aquatic environment from human activities, industrial practices, and sea level changes. Water and Wastewater Engineering 2 and Coastal Flood Defense modules will help me managing water resources safely and surely.