Speaker :
Dr. Suhariyanto
Ir. Agus Purwoto, M.Si.
Claudya Muna Asmarani, S.Tr.Stat. (MC)
Dr. Timbang Sirait, M.Si. (Moderator)
Description :Resuming the routine of remote learning, students at Politeknik Statistika STIS kicked off their first day after the two-week Mid-Semester Examination (UTS) with a non-academic public lecture held virtually on Monday, October 25. The event featured Dr. Suhariyanto, a distinguished alumnus from the 22nd cohort of the Akademi Ilmu Statistik (AIS) and the former Chief of Statistics Indonesia (BPS) who retired in mid-2021.
The event was officially opened by Claudya Muna Asmarani, S.Tr.Stat., followed by a welcoming speech from the Vice Director III of Polstat STIS, Ir. Agus Purwoto, M.Si., who emphasized the importance of the moment as an opportunity to “refuel students’ motivation” for the remainder of the semester and as a chance for post-UTS reflection.
Moderated by Dr. Timbang Sirait, M.Si., the session saw Dr. Suhariyanto—affectionately known as Kecuk—share the major strategies that shaped his academic journey and thinking. The lecture, titled
“How to Learn Effectively to Achieve Success,”
recounted his experiences at AIS which, though smooth, he admitted felt somewhat lacking in perceived value at the time. It wasn't until he pursued his Master’s degree at the University of Guelph, Canada, that he began to realize the vast relevance and impact of statistics. This realization continued to grow during his Ph.D. studies at the University of Reading, UK, which he impressively completed in just 2 years and 11 months.
Dr. Suhariyanto shared three core lessons he gained from studying in three different countries:
1. Self-management,
2. Strategic planning, and
3. Enjoying the learning process.
He emphasized the importance of reflecting on both short- and long-term motivations and defining one’s personal meaning of success in learning. These reflections become a key to maintaining consistent enthusiasm moving forward.
In alignment with the lecture’s theme, Dr. Suhariyanto outlined three essential skill areas that students must develop:
- Self-management,
- Academic skills, and
- Communication skills.
He described self-management as treating oneself as one's own boss, encompassing elements such as self-motivation, goal setting, time management, stress management, and organization.
To complement the discussion, Dr. Suhariyanto also shared practical advice on time management and personal discipline, including:
-The seven learning approaches by Stella Cottrell,
-How to organize schedules and reading materials, and
-How to build a structured and clear mindset when processing information.
All of these strategies support what he described as effective and comfortable learning through active learning and personalized processes.
“Students must go beyond simply ‘waiting’ for the lecture materials to be served. They need to explore what is taught in class. This will help connect concepts across courses, forming a clear big picture that can spark deeper academic interest,”
he explained.
The session concluded with an engaging Q&A session, showcasing the enthusiastic participation of students.
