Legal research with global impacts

Taufik Rachman spent four challenging years juggling parenting and PhD responsibilities, but his hard work paid off when he received VU’s award for best PhD thesis.

"Being a father, I didn’t have much time to get involved in student uni life, but my supervisors were fully supportive and once a week we’d meet at coffee shops around campus to talk. I’ll never forget those meetings.

The facilities provided by VU are world-class standard, but more than that, the supervising process is truly something special you just don’t hear of at other universities. For me it’s something spiritual that’s hard to explain. I would definitely recommend VU to potential research students.

My research addressed the question of whether the Indonesian criminal justice system could be enhanced by replacing the Mandatory Prosecution System with a Discretionary Prosecution System (DPS), like that used in Australia. My findings demonstrated that a move to a DPS in Indonesia is advisable. It is important to consider, however, whether the principles applied in developed countries are able to solve the problems of emerging countries – there’s a lot more to unpack and understand in this area.

I faced a few challenges throughout my studies such as the language barrier, scholarship issues, family matters, and stressful thesis moments. However, with VU’s support, I overcame each of them. My next goal is to support my wife as she finishes her thesis, while seeking research, teaching, or volunteer opportunities. I plan to extend my research in the future."

Course studied

Doctor of Philosophy in Law