Rahmawati Taqwa

Head of Public Relations Division, Tourism Board, Rote Ndao, Indonesia
Master of International Tourism Management

Studying the Master of International Tourism Management was the natural next step in her tourism career, says Rahmawati Taqwa who came to AUT as an international student from Indonesia, supported by a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade NZ Scholarship.

“I had been working in tourism for almost 10 years and I have a passion and commitment to develop our local tourism industry. I decided to enrol in the Master of International Tourism Management because I could see that it would help me perform better and make my dreams come true.”

After completing her studies in New Zealand in 2019, Rahmawati has now returned to Indonesia where she is working for the Tourism Board in Rote Ndao.

“In this role, my task is to expand the collaboration between the Tourism Board and other institutions. I’m also responsible for the programmes related to community capacity building in tourism development.”

Highly recommended
She would highly recommend AUT’s tourism programmes to other students, Rahmawati says.

“AUT has great academic staff and resources in its tourism programmes. Studying tourism will literally open up the world for you – it will lead to a career where you can both travel and work at the same time!”

The people she met throughout her studies were the highlight of her time at AUT.

“I really enjoyed meeting new people and experiencing a new culture in such a beautiful country, and meeting good friends from around the world.”

Advice for other students
Rahmawati has some great advice for other international students considering studying at AUT in Auckland.

“My advice for other students is to make the most of your time in New Zealand. Travel and enjoy the beauty of New Zealand while you can.”

There’s plenty of support available if you need it, she adds.

“The language barrier and the different academic practice can be challenging. There was a time when I had to deal with various assignments that were very different to what we would do back home. That was very stressful but fortunately AUT was really helpful. They provided tutors, proofreaders, study workshops and free access to a wide range of resources. That really helped and I’m thankful to AUT.”