“I’ve Always Had a Dream,” Pravoto Yunan on the Prospects of Collaboration with SUSU

South Ural State University has a long history and is well known abroad. Its mission is forming a new generation of leaders capable of solving global tasks on sustainable development and changing our world for better. Achieving this goal would not be possible without the University’s integration into the international education environment. SUSU has been actively developing this field, and already by the present moment over 30 academic positions have been given to foreigners, most of whom were employed under the University’s Competitiveness Enhancement Program(Project 5-100). 

One of such employees is Pravoto Yunan. Together with his colleagues from the Center of Computer Engineering, Mr. Yunan is working on the problems in the fields of mechanics, fatigue of materials and fracture mechanics.

– Please, tell us where you came from. What are you working on in your native country, what is your profession?

– I have come from Indonesia. I worked as Dean of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Sampoerna University (Branch of Louisiana State University in Djakarta). I also represented the Indonesian Division of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMEchE). I was a Chairman of several Indonesian foundations focusing on education and technical innovations. My main goal is promoting education in mechanical engineering among the generation of young people.

I wrote more than 200 journal articles published in more than 10 books on mechanical engineering; my current h-index is 14, and i10 index* is 18.

– Have you worked in foreign companies?

– I obtained my Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Japan. After that I came back to Indonesia and worked as assistant engineer there. Having worked for 5 years I quit and moved to the USA to continue my studies. I entered the University of Missouri, the Faculty of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. After graduation I worked in many foreign companies in the USA, Japan, as well as in Malaysia and Indonesia.

– How did you learn about South Ural State University, and why did you decide to come here?

– Russia always appealed to me. I spent more than 10 years in the USA, and the American mass media always told about Russia as of a unique country. By nature, I doubt everything before I learn enough to believe something.Please don’t consider me arrogant, but I always find what I need. I’m 51, and I have a happy family – I’m father to two daughters, who have already gained their medical degrees – I can afford to come to your country and to get to know it personally. A lot of students are receiving education at South Ural State University, and this fact drew my attention.Why namely SUSU? I liked its motto “SMART-University, Uniting Europe and Asia” – I was curious to see how it is put into practice. 

– What are your expectations of the visit to South Ural State University?

– I’ve always had a dream that Indonesia could provide a wide choice of education programs. For instance, now, besides the national universities, we have many branches of America universities. Thus, for example, I assisted in organizing the Branch of Louisiana State University based at Sampoerna University in Djakarta. The following principle is applied: students can choose to receive their education in both accredited universities. Students accepted to the Double-Degree Program are also provided with an opportunity to spend two final years of studies in Louisiana (USA).

I would very much wish to fulfill a similar education program with SUSU. In case any help is needed, I am ready for cooperation.

Olga Vazhenina
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