Akhmad Fais Fauzi is currently pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Adelaide, supported by a full scholarship from the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP). His research addresses one of the most pressing policy issues facing Indonesia today: the persistent underperformance of urban transport initiatives.
 
Indonesia’s metropolitan regions face serious urban transport challenges, with chronic congestion leading to economic losses, environmental degradation, and public health problems. Despite major investments in Mass Rapid Transit, Light Rail Transit, and Bus Rapid Transit, these systems often fail to meet expectations. Why do such ambitious projects so often underperform, and what can be done differently? This doctoral research, Between Vision and Reality: Analysing Transport Planning Failures and Reform Pathways in Indonesian Cities, examines the systemic barriers that weaken urban transport initiatives. Drawing on case studies in metropolitan Jakarta, Bandung, Medan, Denpasar, Palembang, and the newly established capital city Nusantara, the study combines Spatial–Mobility, Institutional, and Financial analysis to uncover why plans frequently falter in practice and how reform pathways can be developed. The research not only contributes to academic debates but also produces a practical outcome in the form of a “Mobility Atlas,” offering new insights and tools for policymakers and planners in Indonesia and other rapidly urbanising contexts.
 
Building on these themes, the research is closely aligned with Akhmad Fais Fauzi’s professional role as a Senior Planner at the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas), Indonesia, where he has more than a decade of experience shaping national policies and metropolitan initiatives in transport, logistics, and urban development. His career bridges public policy, urban planning, and sustainable mobility, with contributions ranging from multimodal transport and mass transit regulation to Transit-Oriented Development and low-carbon pathways. He has collaborated with international partners such as the World Bank, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, the Asian Development Bank, the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau, the Agence Française de Développement, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Beyond his government role, he lectures in urban planning and development at Universitas Esa Unggul, where he is engaged in teaching and research on urban planning, sustainable mobility, and planning information systems, further contributing to the advancement of evidence-based planning in Indonesia.