James Kon
Politeknik Brunei (PB) and Hengyi Industries Sdn Bhd yesterday inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to collaborate in offering seven Level 5 diploma programmes at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall, The Empire Brunei.
The initiative, under the Manpower Planning and Employment Council (MPEC), is aimed at fulfilling the need for human resource development for the second phase of Hengyi Pulau Muara Besar project and to achieve Brunei Vision 2035.
PB Acting Director Lim Kian Boon said, “Politeknik Brunei is offering five new Level 5 diploma programmes in collaboration with Hengyi through the Higher Education Centralised Admission System (HECAS): Level 5 Diploma in Thermal Power Plant Technology, Level 5 Diploma in Storage and Transportation Technology, Level 5 Diploma in Power Plant and Power System Technology, Level 5 Diploma in Chemical Equipment Technology and Level 5 Diploma in Water Treatment Technology.”
The seven programmes have been planned and discussed thoroughly by Politeknik Brunei and Hengyi. They are also structured to fit core and essential modules taught by Hengyi and assisted by Lanzhou Petrochemical Polytechnic (LPP) College in China. In time, the teaching of specialised modules will be conducted by Politeknik Brunei’s teaching staff through the development of skills, transfer of knowledge and training of trainers programme.
The Level 5 diploma programmes, a qualification equivalent to a Higher National Diploma (HND) and accredited by the Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council (BDNAC), will take students through two years of academic learning with PB and LPP and one-year industrial placement with Hengyi at Pulau Muara Besar.
Two of the programmes – Level 5 Diploma in Laboratory Technology and Level 5 Diploma in Chemical Engineering – started in July 2020 and January 2021. They have been approved following extensive discussions between the Ministry of Education, the Petroleum Authority of Brunei Darussalam and the MPEC Secretariat.
As part of the MoU, Hengyi presented conditional offer letters to 85 students under Level 5 Diploma in Laboratory Technology and Level 5 Diploma in Chemical Engineering, which will provide them with employment opportunities with Hengyi upon graduation.
Hengyi is also prepared to provide students undertaking other new joint programmes with conditional offers.
Lim said PB and Hengyi are planning to establish the School of Petrochemical, which will absorb the seven programmes.
Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Minister of Energy Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Mohd Hussein, Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman and Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Brunei Darussalam Yu Hong witnessed the signing.
Deputy Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh as Chairperson of PB Board of Governors, Deputy Minister of Energy Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo bin Sokiaw as Deputy Chairperson of PB Board of Governors, permanent secretaries, deputy permanent secretaries, Hengyi Industries Chief Executive Officer Chen Lian Cai, as well as officers from PB and Hengyi were also present.