Alumni Stories
GRADS 2024: Burhanudin (Burhan) Syaifulloh
In September 2024, Burhanudin (Burhan) Syaifulloh officially graduated with a PhD from the 91Porn. Graduating in absentia, he received his testamur at home in East Java, Indonesia. A friend lent him a cap and gown so he could officially celebrate the moment with his family.
Burhan, now Dr Syaifulloh, hopes that his research will strengthen English teaching at Indonesian universities, eventually providing a generation of Indonesian teachers – and, through a ripple effect, their students – with a greater competency of English language.
Burhan faced numerous challenges in his own higher education journey, but his determination and resilience have always shone through.
“Education is one of the most powerful ways to change society and open the doors to new opportunities,” Burhan says.
Growing up in a rural area of Indonesia, Burhan was the third of four siblings. His parents, who had not completed elementary school, faced significant financial difficulties. Despite this, Burhan was determined to pursue higher education, believing that it could broaden his family’s opportunities.
“I'm from a rural area where a bachelor’s degree is a privilege and not many get the chance, but I believed that education could change my family’s circumstances,” Burhan says.
I begged my parents to let me continue my education, and undertake my bachelor’s degree. I love learning English, so I chose it as my major.
Burhan pursued a bachelor’s degree in English Literature, moving 400 kilometres away from home to a State Islamic University in Malang, East Java, where he worked part-time and spent the rest of it immersed in his studies.
After completing his bachelor’s degree in 2002, Burhan was recruited by his university to teach English. He thoroughly enjoyed teaching, but felt compelled to continue his own education. He knew that by improving his own knowledge, he could better serve his students.
“I have a passion for teaching and learning. I really enjoy teaching and meeting with students,” Burhan says.
He secured an Australian Development Scholarship, which enabled him to pursue a Master of Education, specialising in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Monash University in Melbourne, from 2008 to 2009.
Burhan’s academic ambitions did not stop there. In 2019, after a decade of teaching, he returned to studying, choosing to undertake his PhD at UC.
“I found some experts in my field of study, TESOL, at UC. I knew that UC provides great support for international students. Additionally, I studied at UC under the sponsor of the Indonesian Ministry of Religious Affairs, which has a strong partnership with UC,” Burhan says.
His research focused on English lecturers’ concerns regarding the implementation of the higher education curriculum in Indonesia. This journey was not without its challenges.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced Burhan to adapt his research methodology, shifting from qualitative case studies to a mixed-methods approach conducted entirely online. After planning his proposal and research for over a year, he now had to pivot completely.
“I had planned to use qualitative case studies for my research – conducting interviews with teachers and observing classes – but during the pandemic, it was impossible to attend face-to-face classes. I had to change the research focus to use a mixed method,” Burhan says.
His supervisors connected him with an expert in quantitative methods, to support him in the data gathering and analysis phases of his research.
It was very challenging, but fortunately, I had great supervisors who supported me a lot during my process of collecting, analysing and writing my research.
Another unexpected challenge arose as a result of the pandemic – Burhan was separated from his family due to border closures.
He had initially moved to Canberra alone, with the intention that his wife and three sons would join him in early 2020.
“It was a frustrating moment during my PhD,” he admits. “My wife had to live with three boys in Indonesia alone. It was challenging and stressful for both of us.”
Despite these difficulties, Burhan remained focused on his studies, supported by his supervisors and resources offered through UC.
His research revealed that English lecturers in Indonesia often struggle with curriculum implementation due to limited understanding and inadequate institutional support. This impacts university students who are studying to become school-level English teachers.
With some changes to policy, generations of Indonesian students could see the benefit.
“Providing adequate support, dissemination, clear guidelines, and involving institutions and lecturers in designing the curriculum is really important,” Burhan says.
“I would love to see more improvement in this area. If students can get a better teaching and learning process, with a better implementation of the curriculum, they will benefit more from that curriculum.”
From a rural village in Indonesia, where many don’t complete schooling, to earning a PhD in Australia, lecturing at a respected university and influencing education policy, Burhan’s journey serves as an inspiration to many.
“Doing a PhD requires a lot of effort and consistency,” Burhan says. “But with high motivation, I think everyone can achieve it.”
As Burhan looks to the future, he remains committed to his role as an educator and researcher. He hopes to continue contributing to the field of education.
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