RSIS congratulates our distinguished alumnus Dr Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (MSc Strategic Studies, 2006) on being awarded the Nanyang Distinguished Alumni Award 2025, in recognition of his distinguished contributions to defence, public service, and national development!
Dr Yudhoyono is a prominent statesman and former army officer of the Republic of Indonesia. He currently serves as the leader of the Democratic Party (Partai Demokrat) of Indonesia, which was founded by his father, former Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who led the nation from 2004 to 2014.
Dr Yudhoyono dedicated 16 years of service to the Indonesian National Armed Forces, with key deployments including security operations in Aceh in 2002 and participation in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon in 2006.
He also played a pivotal role in establishing the Indonesian Armed Forces Peacekeeping Centre and in the development of Universitas Pertahanan, an institution focused on defence studies.
Following his military career, Dr Yudhoyono entered politics, running for Jakarta governor in 2017, and subsequently rising through the national political landscape. In 2024, he served as Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning during the final months of President Joko Widodo’s administration.
Today, he holds the post of Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development in President Prabowo Subianto’s “Red and White Cabinet”. Among his key responsibilities is the oversight of Indonesia’s Giant Sea Wall project, a 700-kilometre infrastructure initiative designed to protect northern Java from flooding, coastal erosion, and the impacts of climate change. The project has been designated as one of the country’s 77 National Strategic Projects for the 2025 to 2029 period.
A passionate advocate for youth leadership and civic engagement, Dr Yudhoyono founded The Yudhoyono Institute, a think tank focused on nurturing future leaders and generating ideas and solutions to guide Indonesia towards its “Golden Era” by 2045. Its work centres on the pillars of liberty, prosperity, and security. He also established the Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono Foundation, a non-profit organisation that addresses social and humanitarian issues.
In 2018, he returned to his alma mater to deliver the RSIS Distinguished Public Lecture “Unleashing the Potential of Young Indonesians: Opportunities and Challenges in a Vibrant Democracy,” reaffirming his deep and ongoing relationship with NTU Singapore as well as his commitment to thought leadership and public service.
Watch the lecture here:
For more information on the Nanyang Alumni Awards, click here
Congratulations, Dr Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono!
