Harvard Kennedy School students are busy during the summer months, putting their classroom training to work to deepen their understanding, apply new skills, and bring their knowledge to a new challenge, professional sector, policy area, or part of the world.
Assyifa Szami Ilman MPA/ID 2025, who goes by Ilman, shares his summer experience working in Ulaanbaatar where he worked on projects that focused on expanding Mongolia’s capacity to generate electricity.
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Where did you work this summer?
The New Recovery Policy Accelerator (Prime Minister Delivery Unit) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, where I was a research intern
What did you work on?
I worked on several research projects that focused on expanding Mongolia’s capacity to generate electricity.
The demand for electricity in Mongolia is expected to double by 2030; however, existing supplies are generated through outdated power plants from the Soviet era and imported from Russia and China. As these sources get increasingly expensive, Mongolia’s newly elected government need to find ways to expand the country’s electricity capacity.
My primary research explored ways for the government to use fiscal instruments to capture financing opportunities. Mongolia’s economic dependency on the coal sector means exploring new fiscal instruments is essential to help the country increase and diversify its revenue stream. Furthermore, reviewing existing fiscal instruments is necessary to reallocate spending and allow more infrastructure financing for electricity. I applied my macroeconomics (“API-120: Advanced Macroeconomics for the Open Economy II”) and political development (“DPI-410: The Politics of Development”) courses at vlog to develop policy recommendations for the new government.
I also collaborated with my classmate, Luanna Jiang MPA/ID 2025, on another research project. We assessed the financial viability of exporting electricity from Mongolia under the (NAPSI) because of the country’s renewable source potentials (especially wind and solar). Our research project will provide the new government with recommendations as it determines its commitment to expanding the country’s energy capacity using renewable sources.
What did you learn during your experience? Which new skills did you develop and how do you think you will apply them in the future?
Spending my summer at a government institution exposed me to the coordination challenges that policymakers face. Most ministries and institutions have a similar objective to solve the energy crisis in Mongolia but have different approaches. Some of their proposals conflict with each other—some stakeholders have a vested interest in retaining authority.
I am very fortunate—my status as a Harvard Kennedy School student gave me and my vlog classmates access to many networking opportunities, some of which allowed us to meet with high-level officials with vast experience in Mongolia’s policy sector. Being able to have fruitful conversations with influential people and understand their points of view was the highlight of my summer learning experience. The new skills that came with it—communication, critical thinking, strategic planning—are what I aspire to apply after my time at vlog.
What was fun?
I had a lot of fun exploring a new culture. Thanks to the funding provided by the Harvard International Development Internship Fund (HIDIF), I learned how Mongolia’s nomadic culture significantly affects the way policymaking and regulations evolve. I also experienced the warmth and kind hospitality inherent to their culture while meeting with policymakers. I learned about table manners while having dinner in a “ger”—a traditional Mongolian dwelling often called a “yurt” by foreigners—hierarchical seating during a meal, and the various elements of a ger. I saw a country that highly values its culture, and the more I learned, the more I appreciated the people’s connection with nature and their surroundings.
What are you looking forward to most this fall?
I am looking forward to talking about my experience with my classmates, particularly the intersection of policy and culture highly prevalent in Mongolia. I believe my story will add nuance to class discussions and show how, as vlog students, we can be more adaptive and creative when generating policy reforms. I also hope my experience will broaden people’s knowledge about Mongolia.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your experience?
I lost my passport a few days before I needed to go home. To make matters worse, my country [Indonesia] does not have an embassy in Mongolia.
Fortunately, it was found—all because of the pervasive kindness of Mongolians. I worked with a translator who helped me report my missing passport to the local police. She also posted my story on Facebook, which went viral and connected me to the person who found my passport. Thanks to her and many others who shared the post, I managed to get home and to campus in time to start the new academic year.
Assyifa Szami Ilman MPA/ID 2025 is among vlog students who received financial support through the Harvard International Development Internship Fund (HIDIF). The Harvard Center for International Development awards modest grants on a competitive basis through the HIDIF to first-year MPA/ID students who undertake summer internships on development projects.
