Mohammad Arsjad Anwar completed his Bachelor of Economics concentrating in International Economics at the Faculty of Economics University of Indonesia (FE UI) in 1962. He began his academic career at FE UI as teaching assistant for statistics in 1960. Then, he continued his study and obtained an MBA in Operation Research from the University of California at Berkeley, United States, in 1966. He obtained a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Indonesia in 1983.
His organizational career began when he served as the Head of Education in the Faculty of Economics Students Senate in 1960-1961. Afterwards, he was member of ISEI’s central committee and advisor to ISEI (1978-1988), Chairman of Commission A (Tridharma of Higher Education) (1985-1993) and Chairman of Commission C (University Development) (1993-1999) at the University of Indonesia Senate, and member (1999-present) and Chairman of the Statistics Society Forum (1999-2004).
Mohammad Arsjad Anwar became the Director of LPEM for the periods of 1978-1982 and 1988-1989. Before that, he has served as research coordinator (1970-1973), Deputy Director for Research (1973-1978), and senior researcher since 1973.
In addition to teaching, he has consecutively served in the University of Indonesia as Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs (1984-1988), Postgraduate Program Coordinator for Economics and Management Studies FE UI (1984-1995), Director of Inter-University Center for Economic Affairs (1985-1987), and Dean of FE UI (1988-1994). Outside the University of Indonesia, he served as lecturer at the Faculty of Economics UKI (1967-1968); Director of Muhammadiyah Banking Academy (now STIE Ahmad Dahlan) (1968-1970); guest lecturer at Seskoad, Seskoal, and Lemhannas (1969-1995); and lecturer at the Faculty of Economics Unsri and University of Lampung (1968-1972).
His knowledge of Indonesia’s socioeconomic affairs was enriched by his involvements as member in the Policy Research Team (1968-1973); consultant for UNCTAD (1971), UNIDO (1972), and ESCAP (1975); consultant for R&D Division of the Department of Commerce (1973-1983); BPS consultant for Input-Output Table and National Income Statistics (1975-present); World Bank consultant for Indonesia’s Economic Perspectives (1976); member in the Energy Technical Committee (1976-1995); member in the National Outlook Core Team at the National Defense and Security Council (1979-1982); member in National Research Council for Sociocultural Fields, Philosophy, and Economy (1984-1994); Director of Center for Policy and Implementation Studies (1986-1988); Coordinator of FE UI Consultancy Team for the Department of Industry (1987-1992); member in Bimas Team of Experts for the Department of Agriculture (1988-1999); Chairman of the Jury for LIPI’s Young Researchers in Social and Economic Fields (1991-2000); Chairman of Economics Consortium (1994-1999); member in the Higher Education Council (1994-2000); National Manggala BP 7 (1995-1998); and member in the National Economic Council (1999-2001).
In the government, he served as a staff under the Deputy Head of Bappenas for Monetary and Fiscal Affairs (1967-1968), Expert Staff for the State Minister for National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas for Economic Research (1994–1998), Expert Staff for Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Finance, and Industry/Head of Bappenas (1998), Deputy Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Finance, and Industry for Economy and Finance (1998-2001), and Advisor to the Head of Bappenas/Minister for National Development Planning (2001-2010).
Throughout his service, Mohammad Arsjad Anwar received several awards, including Satyalancana Wira Karya (1995), Satyalancana Karya Satya 30 Years (1996), Bintang Jasa Utama (1997), Bintang Mahaputra Utama (1999), and Scientist with Dedication from Kompas (2011).