I Gusti Ayu Maresta Amirta Puspa Pujawati, a student from the Faculty of Economics and Business at UGM, recently had the privilege of participating in the esteemed Harvard Project for Asian and International Relations (HPAIR) Harvard Conference 2024, which was held in Cambridge, Boston, from Feb. 9 to 11, 2024.
This Economics student from the 2021 cohort joined the ranks of approximately 100 participants from over 20 nations spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia. She earned her spot in this conference after successfully navigating a rigorous selection process, competing with over 10,000 applicants.
The selection process encompassed meticulous evaluations of documents, including motivation letters, curriculum vitae, and transcripts. It culminated in short interviews that delved into the essence of the motivation letter.
“I am thrilled and deeply honored to have been selected as one of the delegates for this prestigious conference,” she expressed enthusiastically.
“The HPAIR Conference has been an unparalleled experience, enriching my perspectives and networking, especially through engaging sessions with industry luminaries and insightful discussions that broadened my understanding of forthcoming global challenges.”
Maresta stood out as the sole representative from UGM in the HPAIR 2024 cohort. Among Indonesian delegates, she was accompanied by three other distinguished students from UI and ITB.
HPAIR, an esteemed annual event inaugurated in 1991, has hosted 50 conferences globally across 20 diverse host nations. This year, the Harvard Conference carries the theme “Charting New Horizons: Mapping Present & Future.”
“The conference serves as a nexus, uniting present-day global leaders with future visionaries in a dynamic platform for idea exchange,” highlighted Maresta.
Throughout the conference, Maresta actively engaged in deciphering complex business case studies, including devising innovative green marketing strategies tailored for renowned companies like Patagonia and Clav.
Moreover, participants delved into enriching presentations covering topics such as green supply chains, the interplay of international relations on business dynamics, and luxury product marketing strategies delivered by illustrious global speakers.
Among these distinguished speakers were luminaries like Paul Scanlan (Former CTO of Huawei), Sun Choe (Chief Product Officer of Lululemon), Carol Rollie Flynn (President of FPRI and Retired from CIA), Smriti Aryal (Head of UN Women China), Honey Lacuna (Mayor of Manila), Anoulak Kittikhoun (CEO of Mekong River Commission), Jake Setnicka (Strategy and Environmental Manager at Patagonia), and Stephane Lafay (Former President of Tiffany & Co Asia).
In addition to the enriching sessions, participants relished the opportunity to embark on a Harvard Campus Tour and partake in the vibrant International Night festivities, showcasing their countries’ rich cultures.
Author: Hilda Bhakti Fahrezi
Editor: Ika
Photo: I Gusti Ayu Maresta Amirta Puspa Pujawati