Izah Azahari
With the rapidly-changing industry environments and the evolving nature of learners, university academics must be prepared for new challenges, while embracing innovation.
Quality graduates are a product of excellent teachers, researchers and a university’s learning environment.
Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman said this during the 5th UTB Excellence Awards Ceremony 2020, held in conjunction with the UTB Convocation Ceremony 2020, at the Tarindak D’Polo’s Royal Berkshire Hall yesterday.
Guest of honour Minister of Energy and Deputy Chairman of the UTB Council Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein presented the Staff Excellence Award (SEA) and the Graduates Excellence Award.
Deputy Minister of Development Dato Seri Paduka Ar Awang Haji Marzuke bin Haji Mohsin and UTB Council members also attended.
The event began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat.
Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah said the SEA recognises staff’s contributions towards achieving UTB’s strategic goals.
“The awards ceremony is set against the backdrop of another achievement – UTB improved in the QS World University Rankings from 379th place last year to 350th this year. UTB is also ranked 40 at the QS World University Rankings for Top 50 under 50,” she said.
UTB awarded three academicians and staff; each receiving a plaque, certificate of recognition and BND1,000. Meanwhile, certificates were awarded to special mention recipients.
Recipients of the Staff Excellence Awards are Associate Professor Dr Reddy Prasad Donipathi Mogili from the Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Programme Area of the Faculty of Engineering (Teaching Excellence Award); Associate Professor Dr Au Thien Wan from the Computer Network Security Programme Area of the School of Computing and Informatics (Research Excellence Award Mid-Career Academic); and Administrative Assistant Ibrahim bin Haji Mohammad Tahir from the Administration Section of the Registrar and Secretary Office (Administrative Excellence Award for Administrative Staff).
Meanwhile, the Teaching Excellence Award Special Mention went to Senior Assistant Professor in the Civil Engineering Programme Area of the Faculty of Engineering Dr Md Motiar Rahman, Assistant Professor in the Accounting Programme Area of the UTB School of Business Dr Ibrahim Aramide Salihu, and Assistant Professor at the Centre for Communication, Teaching and Learning Dr Malai Zeiti binti Sheikh Abdul Hamid.
The Research Excellence Award Early Career Academic Special Mention went to Lecturer at the Computer Network Security Programme Area of the School of Computing and Informatics Dr S H Shah Newaz, and the Research Excellence Award Mid-Career Academic Special Mention went to Assistant Professor in the Civil Engineering Programme Area of the Faculty of Engineering Dr Tan Soon Jiaan.
The guest of honour presented the Graduate Excellence Awards to 31 graduates. The award categories included the Vice-Chancellor’s Award that was last presented in 2015.
Other awards include the University Excellence Awards; Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Local Network Prize Award; the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Brunei Darussalam (IMechE-Brunei) Award for Best Mechanical Engineering Graduate; the IMechE-Brunei Award for Best Mechanical Engineering (Final Year Project); Institution of Surveyors, Engineers and Architects (PUJA) Prestige 2020 Student Awards; Petrokon Utama Sdn Bhd (PUSB) Engineering Award (Best Final Year Project Award); Authority for Info-communications Technology Industry of Brunei Darussalam (AITI) Best Project SCI; British Computer Society (BCS) Awards 2020; Bank Islam Brunei Darussalam (BIBD) Award; and Datastream Digital Sdn Bhd (DST) Award.
The sponsors for the Graduate Excellence Award include Brunei LNG Sdn Bhd; PUSB; Syarikat Takaful Brunei Darussalam Sdn Bhd; Total E&P Borneo BV; AITI; Imagine Sdn Bhd; DST; Wood Private Limited Company; PUJA; Baiduri Bank; BIBD; IMechE-Brunei; Shiham Sdn Bhd; Dynamik Technologies Sdn Bhd; IET; Jetwires Trading & Electrical Services Sdn Bhd; and BCS.