Published on
Sunday, 4 October 2026
ITS Campus, ITS News — The 134th Graduation Ceremony of the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) was a very memorable moment for two graduates from the Faculty of Industrial Technology and Systems Engineering (FTIRS) . Both are Dr. Ir. Suroso ST MM IPM and Najwan Raditya Abiyoga ST as father and son who graduated together from the ITS Department of Mechanical Engineering on the first day of the 134th ITS Graduation Ceremony at Grha Sepuluh Nopember ITS, Saturday (3/10).
In 1989, Suroso, the President Director of PT Sinergi Solusi Utama (PLN Group’s Pension Fund), also earned his undergraduate degree from the same department at ITS. Graduating in 1994, Suroso described the ITS Department of Mechanical Engineering as the foundation for his career in engineering and the electricity industry.
Not stopping there, in 2006, the Karanganyar-born man completed his master’s degree at a private university. At the peak of his career, Suroso finally returned to ITS to pursue a doctorate in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. “It was a tough decision, but I had the ambition to study battery technology and be a role model for my children and employees in my workplace,” he said.
According to the man born on December 1, 1969, ITS is not just a campus, but also a place for him to develop his mindset as an engineer. He apparently successfully reflects this foundation in his role as a father who inspires his son, Najwan.
Suroso explained that in his mentoring, he never forced his child, but he also didn’t hide his passion for the field. Suroso believes that this consistency and successful career ultimately rubbed off on his son. “It wasn’t from instruction, but from what he saw every day at home, at the office, in organizations, and in my community,” Suroso said.
Najwan also shared how his father served as a role model, inspiring him to study Mechanical Engineering at the same alma mater, ITS. Since childhood, he’s been accustomed to observing his father’s technical work. “So, my father loved teaching me how to fix and work around the house, and he took me to his workplace to show me what he was doing,” said the young man, born in Batam on September 26, 2002.
This small habit apparently fostered his interest and curiosity in the world of engineering . Ultimately, the eldest son chose ITS as his destination for higher education, similar to his father’s. “Although I’m following in my father’s footsteps, I also want to prove that I can make my own mark in the same field,” Najwan added optimistically.
Suroso apparently instilled this idea in his son, that the path he took didn’t have to be the same as his own. “What I emphasize is consistency, discipline, creativity, and curiosity as important guidelines,” Suroso asserted.
Najwan expressed a special sense of pride when he saw his parents’ dedication to education. Despite his busy schedule and advanced age, Suroso has successfully set an example for his children by completing his dissertation as part of his academic responsibility.
This experience also broadened Najwan’s perspective on education. From his father, he saw how learning isn’t just about earning a degree, but also about fostering an insatiable curiosity. “Furthermore, persistence, hard work, and a commitment to always completing what you start were instilled in me,” he said.
The two also shared their time together during the process of working on their final assignments (TA) and dissertations. These moments became unforgettable memories, as they sat at the same table and stayed up late facing deadlines for their TAs and dissertations. “Najwan’s laptop often became slow, and mine often crashed because we were both processing large amounts of data,” Suroso explained, recounting these memorable moments.
With his extensive experience, Suroso strives to be a discussion partner for Najwan, not a teacher who always has the answers. “It feels like being a student again with your own child struggling to complete an assignment, not like a parent and child,” he said.
Thanks to this, the previously unimaginable moment of graduating together became a reality. It wasn’t just a coincidence; Suroso and Najwan had also agreed to graduate together with one semester remaining in their studies.
Furthermore, he expressed immense joy in anticipating the moment of graduation, sharing it with his son on the same stage and on the same day. According to Suroso, this was far beyond anything he had ever imagined. “It feels like two chapters of one family’s educational journey ending and beginning on the same day,” he said happily.
Through this joint graduation story, Suroso wants Najwan and his children to see that learning has no age limits, and the pursuit of knowledge is a lifelong journey. “Apart from that, college is not just a youthful obligation that ends once you graduate,” reminded Suroso.
Their stories also reflect the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in building quality education within families (SDG 4). These inspiring values demonstrate that learning is a lifelong process, fostering a superior generation with character for a prosperous life (SDG 3). (ITS Public Relations)
