Mahmud Rifai

“Studying Agribusiness at UQ has diversified my knowledge and equipped me with new skills and perspectives to support farmers, enhance their agricultural economic activities and drive improvements to support the growth and development of agricultural sectors in Indonesia.”

Why did you study a Master of Agribusiness at UQ?

I was looking for a university that provided an agribusiness major to support my background which is a Bachelor of Agriculture, majoring in agribusiness. Australia is a developed English-speaking country that provides a high quality of education and has a good reputation worldwide. I chose UQ because it is the highest ranking in the agricultural field in Australia, and UQ provides a Master's program in agribusiness with some courses that I wanted.

What was the best part of your time at UQ?

During my time at UQ, receiving the Dean’s Commendation for Academic Excellence twice was very rewarding. It was proof that I can compete academically with other international students. At UQ I had a huge opportunity to meet great lecturers, new friends, as well as UQ staff that I could learn many things from.

What did you like most about living in Brisbane?

Brisbane is a vibrant city that embraces multiculturalism, and I could easily meet fellow Indonesians without missing the international vibes. The places that I liked the most are the Botanical Gardens, Brisbane River, and the beaches.

How did studying a Master of Agribusiness help get you where you are today?

Studying agribusiness at UQ has diversified my knowledge and equipped me with new skills and perspectives to support farmers enhance their agricultural economic activities and drive improvements to support the growth and development of agricultural sectors in Indonesia.

What kind of work do you do as part of your job?

I work as program coordinator in a national NGO in Indonesia, called SCOPI (Sustainable Coffee Platform of Indonesia). As part of my job, I support the executive director in creating a strategic plan, managing program operations, designing programs, and developing proposals for initiatives aimed at enhancing the upstream coffee commodity sector.

I help manage day-to-day program operations, which include overseeing proposal development, reporting, and budgeting. Additionally, I represent SCOPI at various events, including meetings, seminars, discussions, workshops, and webinars.

What is the best part of your job?

I enjoy meeting new people and learning from them, visiting new places and experiencing new moments and being involved in new activities.

What advice would you offer to anyone thinking about studying at UQ?

Don't hesitate to explore more and ask the staff about anything related, because they're quite helpful. As a top 50 university in the world, UQ offers high-quality education and related services, which will be helpful for us to build our future careers.

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