Dr. rer. pol. Achmad Fajar Hendarman, S.T., M.S.M. was inaugurated as Head of the Bachelor of Management Program at SBM ITB in early 2023. This graduate of the first batch of Master of Science in Management (MSM) at ITB started his career at SBM ITB after teaching tutorial lectures on Strategic and Change Management for the first batch of the SBM ITB undergraduate program in 2007.
After graduating, Fajar worked as a part-time lecturer and only became a full-time one in 2011. Fajar pursued his doctoral studies in Germany through a DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) scholarship, with a research in Human Behavior and Socio-Economic Change and Innovation Economics, focusing on human resources (soft skills and individual innovation hard skills). To date, Fajar continues to serve as a faculty member at SBM ITB, spesifically in the Human and Knowledge Management expertise group.
Born and raised in Bandung, Fajar has loved physical activities since childhood, such as playing soccer, futsal, billiards, marbles, and carrom.
Besides, Fajar was also engaged in art organizations, such as the Sundanese organization or Lingkung Seni Sunda (LSS) and was even the head of a performance at one of his events. He still lives his two hobbies: sports and art, in the form of a static bicycle while listening to songs.
His interest in teaching began during his bachelor program in Industrial Engineering ITB. Being an assistant in the management studio, Fajar voluntarily teaches his juniors. Fajar also met the founding lecturers of SBM ITB at the management studio.
Besides teaching, management studies also fostered Fajar’s interest in human resources, where he taught. the practice of Organizational Design.
In addition to activities in management studies, Fajar fostered his interest in human resources through his activities as the Secretary General of associations and Chair of the Member Representative Body. The elective course he took then, Human Resource Management Systems, further strengthened his interest in the field.
His interest in this field was further fueled by the profound impact of his spiritual experience, particularly the contemplation he underwent following the departure of his mother. This experience enriched his understanding from a psychological perspective and further deepened his commitment to the field. “The complexity of studying humans is more interesting than math (my expertise). However, the combination of mathematical and psychological expertise is philosophically the basis in business and management to make the right decisions,” said Fajar.
Fajar’s successful acquisition of a DAAD scholarship can be attributed to his extensive involvement in various projects and research endeavors, which he meticulously included in his curriculum vitae. Following the scholarship award, he dedicated six months to studying German in preparation for his doctoral degree, which he accomplished within three years and three months.
Through multidisciplinary learning under the guidance of his professor working in Innovation Economics and other professors who are experts in the fields of Psychology, Econometrics, Anthropology, Sociology, and Law, his understanding of the field of human resources is increasingly comprehensive. Fajar earned Doctor rerum politicarum (Dr. rer. pol) and Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy) in Germany through this multidisciplinary learning. “The most interesting thing in Germany, among others, is the research. Weekly discussions are the culture instead of rushing in innovation and research,” recalls Fajar.
After returning from Germany, Fajar went through the selection process of becoming a permanent lecturer at SBM ITB and was appointed in 2019. Since then, his activities have included teaching, research, community service, and being on the institutional development team. This is also the first time Fajar holds a structural position.
“For me, leading may be a calling, or it could be a skill I developed. Achieving common goals and improving the welfare is also my vision, which motivates me to become a leader,” said Fajar, who is not only the head of the program but is also active as the head of other organizations.
In his capacity as a visionary chairman, Fajar aspires to foster improved synergy between SBM ITB and ITB. He envisions a seamless collaboration that ensures the provision of high-quality services and enriching learning experiences for both students and academics. Fajar firmly believes that the realization of his vision requires unwavering dedication and relentless effort. He acknowledges that the journey towards achieving this goal is inevitably challenging, demanding a resilient mindset.