Harry Cahyono is a 2020 graduate of the Master of Social and Political Sciences program at Gadjah Mada University, currently working as a Sustainability Communication Officer at PT Hengjaya Mine. During his studies, Harry learned a great deal about topics related to his current job, namely CSR issues and corporate strategy from an ESG perspective, both nationally and globally. The lessons learned through activities and inter-agency collaborative projects broadened Harry’s knowledge in understanding how various companies in Indonesia implement CSR. This knowledge has helped Harry in analyzing and evaluating various corporate strategies in implementing leading CSR programs in relation to the context of Environmental-Social-Governance (ESG).

Being a student during the Covid-19 pandemic has been a challenge for Harry. The limited opportunities for face-to-face interactive dialogue often hindered his understanding of the lecture material. However, the lecturers encouraged students to express their opinions in peer discussion groups and to think critically about current cases, both related to social and corporate issues. Students were also given access to various learning media, both online and offline. Regular personal monitoring was a strategy employed by the PSdK department to ensure that students did not “get lost” or “stuck” in understanding the dynamics of lectures amid the pandemic. This encouraged Harry to become an adaptive and creative student.

Harry’s message to students is to maximize the space for learning. Ensure that your foundation is truly strong to build a broader dialogue.