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A mother-daughter duo from Indonesia recently embarked on a trip of a lifetime together – studying at UNSW’s Sydney campus at the very same time.

While Ayu Salma enrolled in a Bachelor of Data Science and Decision at UNSW Sydney, her mother, Dewi Gayatri, studied a Master of Commerce in Business Analytics. Here’s how their journey unfolded.

“Studying in Australia has been my dream since high school – and UNSW was number one on my list. UNSW has a great academic reputation, and it is one of the few universities in Australia to offer an undergraduate degree for data science.” – Salma 

UNSW’s Bachelor of Data Science and Decision was designed to meet the global, growing demand for data scientists and analysts. For Salma, it was the degree’s multidisciplinary focus that stood out for her. The degree harnesses the power of three disciplines: science, engineering, and business. Plus, it allows the flexibility to tailor your majors and electives to your interests.

“I have liked maths since I was in elementary school – I wanted to learn something that had a strong base in maths, but was not about maths entirely. Data Science at UNSW is a multidisciplinary degree combining economics, maths and computing. That's why I choose it, because you learn across the three faculties.” – Salma

Both Salma and Dewi sighted UNSW’s hands-on learning and real-world skills, as a key reason they chose to enrol.  

A lifelong learner, Dewi had previously completed her MBA in Indonesia and wanted to further expand her business analytics knowledge. She enrolled in the Master of Commerce through UNSW Business School  - the top Business School in Australia (Australian Financial Review BOSS Business School Rankings 2023) - to upskill and gain more confidence in her career.

“I've been in financial institutions for more than 20 years. The finance industry needs more people with experience in analytics. We learned these skills at UNSW – and I now use these in my career. It's not easy to study business analytics, but I loved it. I found the combination of business analytics and risk management, supports my job.” – Dewi

Outside of study, both Dewi and Salma immersed themselves in campus life.

Dewi reflects that her biggest takeaway from undertaking a Master of Commerce at UNSW was learning how an international mindset could boost her career. For Salma, she finds UNSW’s strong emphasis on critical thinking and problem solving most valuable. Although Dewi has now graduated, the duo say their time studying together at UNSW was unforgettable.

“We supported each other. I’d remind Salma to study on exam week, and Salma would help me with administrative activities or advice on how the system works as a university student.” – Dewi

Are you thinking about making the leap to study in Australia? Salma has some advice for you too.

“Just put yourself out there. Don't be afraid to join societies based on your hobbies, needs or cultural preferences. You may be away from your hometown, but once you find that soft spot in yourself for UNSW in Sydney, or Australia, you'll be comfortable living here – just like you are in your hometown.” – Salma