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."
