The Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI) held a Briefing for the Pre-Doctoral to UC Berkeley Program at the Smart Meeting Room, FTUI Dean’s Building, on August 25. This event marked the first step for FTUI students and alumni selected to join a preparatory program for pursuing doctoral (PhD) studies at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB).
The FTUI Pre-Doctoral to UCB Program is a strategic initiative fully funded by the faculty, designed to prepare students and alumni who are committed to pursuing doctoral studies at UCB and subsequently returning to strengthen the academic staff ranks at FTUI after completing their studies.
The selected participants will undergo a three-month preparatory program at FTUI before proceeding to UCB. The program includes:
- Workshop on “How to Write a Research Proposal and Academic Writing”
- Workshop on “How to Write a Personal Statement/Motivation Letter”
- Seminar on “How to Improve Research Skills, Communication Skills, and Critical Thinking”
- IELTS Preparation Courses and Exams – 3 sessions per week, totaling 45 hours
- GRE Preparation Courses and Exams – 3 sessions per week, totaling 36 hours
- Focus Group Discussions with prospective UCB supervisors
- Application Process to UCB
Through this program, FTUI aims to achieve two key goals: providing comprehensive academic and research preparation for its students and alumni before their doctoral studies at UCB, and developing a pool of qualified academic staff to strengthen the faculty’s teaching and research capacity.
This year, the program is joined by 10 participants from various departments, including Architecture, Interior Design, Energy Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering. The diverse academic backgrounds of the participants reflect FTUI’s spirit of collaboration and commitment to building a strong academic foundation.
During the event, Dr.rer.pol. Ir. Romadhani Ardi, S.T., M.T., FTUI Manager for Student and Alumni Affairs, stated:
“We want to ensure that participants are not only academically prepared but also confident, equipped with strong communication skills, and globally competitive. This program is a long-term investment to cultivate young FTUI academics capable of excelling on the international stage.”
Meanwhile, FTUI Dean, Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D., emphasized the importance of sustaining this program as part of FTUI’s internationalization vision:
“Through the Pre-Doctoral to UCB Program, FTUI is not only sending students to study at one of the world’s best universities but also fostering their commitment to return and contribute to strengthening FTUI’s research, teaching, and reputation. This initiative is expected to lay the foundation for a new generation of excellent, dedicated, and globally competitive academics.”
The briefing session served not only as an introduction to the participants but also provided a detailed explanation of the program’s structure and ensured participants’ readiness for the intensive three-month preparation ahead. With full support from the faculty, this program is expected to produce highly competent future academics with international competitiveness while further reinforcing FTUI’s position as a leading engineering education institution in Indonesia.
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Public Communication Office
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia
