Belajar Tak Kenal Usia, Rahman Kurniawan Raih Summa Cumlaude

Bagi sebagian orang, masa menjelang pensiun adalah momen untuk memperlambat langkah. Namun, Rahman Kurniawan justru memiliki pendapat yang bertolak belakang. Baginya, fase tersebut justru memberinya ruang untuk melangkah lebih jauh. Setelah bertahun-tahun bekerja sebagai praktisi profesional di berbagai industri, Rahman menyadari bahwa pengalaman saja belum cukup jika tidak dibekali pemahaman teoritis yang kuat.

Berangkat dari kesadaran tersebut, ia mengambil keputusan besar untuk kuliah S3 BINUS University dengan mengambil Program Doctor of Research in Management (DRM). Langkah berani ini membawa Rahman lulus Summa Cumlaude pada Wisuda 73 BINUS University. Perjalanan studi tersebut memberinya wawasan akademis mendalam, yang menjadi bekal kuat baginya dalam menjalankan praktik profesional di dunia nyata.

Memperkuat Pengalaman Lapangan dengan Wawasan Akademis

Sebagai seorang praktisi profesional, Rahman terbiasa mengambil keputusan berdasarkan pengalaman nyata di lapangan. Namun, di dunia yang semakin kompleks, ia menyadari bahwa pengalaman saja tidak selalu cukup. Perlu adanya pendekatan ilmiah dan pemahaman teoritis agar tiap keputusan memiliki basis yang kuat. 

Rahman merealisasikan kebutuhan tersebut dengan kuliah S3 BINUS University melalui Program Doctor of Research in Management (DRM). Perjalanan studi ini memberinya ruang untuk menyatukan dunia praktik dan teori. Jurnal ilmiah, literatur, dan pendekatan akademis menjadi alat penting untuk memvalidasi pengalaman praktis yang telah ia bangun selama bertahun-tahun. Dengan adanya rujukan akademis, kini Rahman merasa pengalaman profesionalnya jadi lebih kaya dan lengkap.

Tantangan Kuliah S3 Doctor of Research in Management

Kuliah S3 DRM BINUS merupakan perjalanan yang menantang bagi Rahman. Ia mengakui bahwa proses ini menuntut banyak kesabaran dan kerendahan hati untuk menata ego. Selain itu, mahasiswa doktoral juga sebaiknya memiliki tujuan hidup yang benar-benar solid sebagai motivasi menyelesaikan studi S3.

Tantangan lain harus dihadapi Rahman ketika rasa bosan muncul. Perasaan tersebut bahkan sempat membuatnya berhenti selama tiga bulan. Ia bercerita lebih lanjut, “Terkait masalah ego, sempat ada rasa bosan. Tiga bulan saya tinggal, itu baliknya lagi susah.”

Untungnya, Rahman dikelilingi oleh support system yang kuat selama kuliah S3 BINUS. Baik dosen pembimbing maupun lingkungan akademis yang suportif benar-benar membantu Rahman dalam menjalankan masa studi dan mengembangkan riset.

Proses Publikasi Jurnal yang Menguji Ketangguhan Mental

Selain rasa bosan, Rahman juga harus menghadapi tantangan lain saat publikasi jurnal ilmiah. Ia menyadari bahwa publikasi jurnal ilmiah merupakan salah satu kewajiban utama dalam studi doktoral. Namun, ia tidak menyangka bahwa prosesnya memakan waktu yang lama. 

Selama 9–10 bulan, Rahman harus menghadapi enam kali penolakan sebelum jurnal buatannya mendapat persetujuan publikasi. Di sinilah kesabaran benar-benar diuji. Ia belajar melihat penolakan dan revisi sebagai kesempatan untuk mengasah kualitas riset dan kedewasaan akademis. Pengalaman ini mengajarkannya tentang pentingnya ketekunan dalam mendalami suatu ilmu, dan ketekunan inilah yang juga akan ia aplikasikan dalam dunia praktik.

Belajar untuk Masa Depan, Bukan Sekadar Gelar

Setelah perjalanan panjang kuliah S3 BINUS, Rahman berhasil lulus Summa Cumlaude dengan IPK 3,93 dari program DRM. Meski begitu, ia menjalani studi doktoral bukan untuk mengejar gelar. Sejak awal, Rahman sudah memiliki tujuan jangka panjang yang solid, yakni berbagi ilmu dengan cara yang lebih utuh. Ia ingin bisa tetap berkontribusi saat memasuki masa pensiun nanti.

“Nanti di usia pensiun, saya ingin mengaplikasikan pengetahuan tidak hanya dalam karier, tapi juga bisa berbagi ilmu dengan lebih lengkap. Bukan hanya berbagi pengalaman, tapi juga ilmu yang mendasari pengalaman tersebut,” jelas Rahman.

Komitmen tersebut bahkan ia sampaikan sejak tahap assessment sebelum kuliah. Bagi Rahman, ilmu yang dibagikan akan lebih bernilai ketika ia mampu menggabungkan pengalaman praktis dengan landasan akademis. Dengan begitu, kontribusi yang ia berikan pun akan lebih relevan, sistematis, dan terstruktur.

Setelah menyelesaikan kuliah S3 BINUS University melalui Program Doctor of Research in Management, Rahman Kurniawan merasa dirinya menjadi pribadi yang lebih lengkap. Pengalaman praktis yang ia bangun selama bertahun-tahun dapat berjalan beriringan dengan pemahaman teoritis yang kuat. 

Di sisi lain, pengalaman akademis Rahman juga menegaskan bahwa belajar tidak mengenal usia. Bahkan di usia menjelang pensiun sekalipun, setiap orang dapat memperdalam ilmu dan menggunakan ilmu tersebut untuk memberikan kontribusi yang bermakna.

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English Version :

Learning Knows No Age: Rahman Kurniawan Earns Summa Cum Laude

For many people, the period leading up to retirement is a time to slow down. Rahman Kurniawan, however, holds a very different view. For him, this phase opened the way for further progress. After years of working as a professional practitioner across various industries, Rahman realized that experience alone is not sufficient without a strong theoretical foundation.

Driven by this awareness, he made a major decision to pursue a doctoral degree at BINUS University by enrolling in the Doctor of Research in Management (DRM) program. This bold step led Rahman to graduate Summa Cum Laude at BINUS University’s 73rd Commencement. His academic journey provided him with deep scholarly insight, serving as a solid foundation for applying knowledge in real-world professional practice.

Strengthening Practical Experience with Academic Insight

As a professional practitioner, Rahman was accustomed to making decisions based on real-world experience. However, in an increasingly complex environment, he came to understand that experience alone is not always enough. Scientific approaches and theoretical understanding are necessary to ensure that every decision rests on a strong foundation.

Rahman addressed this need by pursuing his doctoral studies at BINUS University through the Doctor of Research in Management (DRM) program. Academic journals, literature, and scholarly approaches he had obtained from the program became essential tools for validating the practical experience he had built over many years. With strong academic references, Rahman now feels his professional experience is richer and more comprehensive. 

This integration also complements prior management education paths, such as an MBA, a Master of Management, or MM (Master of Management), which similarly emphasize the balance between theory and practice.

The Challenges of the Doctor of Research in Management Program

The DRM doctoral program at BINUS presented significant challenges for Rahman. He acknowledged that the process demanded great patience and humility, particularly in managing one’s ego. In addition, doctoral students must have a truly solid life purpose to complete their studies.

Another challenge emerged when boredom set in. This feeling even led Rahman to take a three-month break from his studies. He shared, “Because of my ego, I felt bored. I stepped away for three months, and returning after that was difficult.”

Fortunately, Rahman was surrounded by a strong support system throughout his doctoral studies at BINUS. Both his academic supervisors and the supportive academic environment played a crucial role in helping him navigate his studies and develop his research.

The Journal Publication Process That Tested Mental Resilience

Beyond boredom, Rahman also faced major challenges during the publication process for academic journals. He understood that publishing scientific journals is one of the core requirements of doctoral studies. However, he did not expect the process to take so long.

Over a period of 9 to 10 months, Rahman faced 6 rejections before his journal was finally approved for publication. This phase truly tested his patience. He learned to view rejection and revision as opportunities to refine research quality and academic maturity. 

This experience taught him the importance of perseverance in mastering a field of knowledge, which he also applies in professional practice, much like the discipline cultivated in MBA and Master of Management (MM) programs.

Learning for the Future, Not Merely for a Degree

After completing his long doctoral journey at BINUS University, Rahman graduated Summa Cum Laude with a GPA of 3.93 from the DRM program. Even so, he did not pursue doctoral studies merely to obtain a title. From the beginning, Rahman had a clear long-term goal: to share knowledge more comprehensively. He wanted to continue contributing meaningfully as he entered retirement.

“When I reach retirement age, I want to apply knowledge not only in my career, but also to share it more completely. Not just sharing experience, but also the knowledge that underpins that experience,” Rahman explained.

He had even communicated this commitment during the assessment stage before enrollment. For Rahman, shared knowledge becomes more valuable when it combines practical experience with strong academic foundations. In this way, his contributions can be more relevant, systematic, and well-structured, an ideal echoed in advanced management education such as an MBA, a Master of Management, or MM.

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After completing his doctoral studies at BINUS University through the Doctor of Research in Management program, Rahman Kurniawan feels he has become a more all-rounded individual. The practical experience he built over many years now runs in parallel with a strong theoretical understanding.

At the same time, Rahman’s academic journey reinforces the idea that learning knows no age. Even as they approach retirement, anyone can continue deepening their knowledge and using it to make meaningful contributions.