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Adhura Husna Farouk

Master ofEconomics,

Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

Year of Graduation: 2024

Currently employed as:

Senior Economist cum Partnership Executive at Serunai Commerce

Sdn Bhd

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Receiving the AUNDPPnet Scholarship was the foundation that accelerated my journey from a curious economist to a

practitioner focused on sustainable development. My time pursuing the Master of Economics at Universiti Putra
Malaysia (UPM) was an intense period of growth, where rigorous coursework, particularly in Financial Economics and
Applied Time Series Analysis, equipped me with the advanced analytical toolkit necessary for real
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world policy
challenges. The scholarship allowed me to dedicate myself fully to professional growth, transforming theoretical
knowledge into actionable expertise. This transition from academic theory to professional application defined my
overall experience and set the stage for immediate impact upon graduation.

A defining milestone was my work as a Research Associate on the Hawker Economics Project with the Asia School of
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Business. This role demanded the direct application of my Master's skills. Utilising my selftaught proficiency in Python
and GIS data, I successfully built and maintained an interactive map of hawkers in Malaysia. This project was a
powerful challenge that tested my ability to integrate complex spatial data with economic outcomes, moving beyond
textbook analysis to create a tangible, datatool for policy recommendation.
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driven

A meaningful activity involved serving as a Research Assistant for the National SDG Roadmap Phase II (2020
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2025).
This gave me immediate exposure to national policymaking. I conducted and analysed proceedings from six high
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level
Focus Group Discussions with public and private stakeholders across Malaysia, specifically contributing to the
environment cluster (SDG6, 7, 13, 14, and 15). Witnessing how rigorous data analysis from the ground informed

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national technical reporting was immensely gratifying and shaped my commitment to impact monitoring.

The culmination of my Master's studies was marked by my participation in the 2023 YSEALI Summit in Bali. Here, I was
given the opportunity to lead a fullday Design Thinking capacity building workshop focused on developing a strategic
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framework for social impact in education. This recognition was a testament to the AUNDPPnet's emphasis on holistic
development, allowing me to leverage my strategic and project management skills to empower ASEAN social
enterprises and nonprofits.
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