Alexander Michael Tjahjadi is a PhD student in Public Finance at the Central University of Finance and Economics (中央财经大学), Beijing, P.R.China and an ASEAN–China Young Leader Scholar. His doctoral research explores Indonesia’s developmental path dependency by comparing long-run patterns of human capital accumulation with China’s experience. His PhD studies are conducted under the China Academy of Public Finance and Public Policy (CAPFPP).

Michael is the Co-Founder of the Sustainable Growth Lab, a network of young economists committed to advancing sustainable and inclusive economic growth. He is also a Senior Economist at Amana Solutions, Adjunct Lecturer at Universitas Satya Negara Indonesia and a Fellow at EQUITAS, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada.

His expertise spans development economics, microeconometrics, and research project management. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Universitas Gadjah Mada (2017), graduating as the fastest in his cohort. He later completed a Master of Public Policy and Management at Monash University Indonesia (2025), where his research focused on skill mismatch and migration in the development of Indonesia’s new capital city (IKN). During his time at Monash University, he was Australia Nusantara Scholar. In parallel, he completed a Master’s thesis in Philosophy at STF Driyarkara (2025), examining existential and epistemological critiques of economics from the Austrian School, particularly the work of Ludwig von Mises.

Michael contributes regularly to The Conversation on topics related to economics and education. His work has been featured by the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the Journal of Indonesian Economy and Business.

In the public sector, Michael has served at the National Economic Council of Indonesia as a Junior Advisor, where he led analyses of the universal school lunch program and agricultural policy simulations. He has also worked as Assistant to the Special Staff of the President of Indonesia on inclusion and tolerance initiatives, and as an Evaluation Expert for the Ministry of Education and Culture.

Beyond government, Michael has collaborated as a researcher and consultant with institutions including the World Bank, J-PAL Southeast Asia, ERIA, Prospera, Think Policy, Article 33, and PUSKAPA Universitas Indonesia. His project portfolio covers gender equality, governance, industrial policy, public health, and education reform.