Lyna Mohamad
Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s (UBD) environment allows young artists to drive the economy while enriching the local cultural and social spheres, said its Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) Pengiran Dr Mohammad Iskandar bin Pengiran Haji Petra.
“As a university of innovation and enterprise, UBD supports the academic endeavour of ‘Spectrum’ and what it stands for as a platform for students to tap into their creative potential with an entrepreneurial approach.”
He highlighted this at the opening of ‘Spectrum 2021: Anew’ graduation exhibition yesterday, and expressed the university’s pride in supporting the growth of the creative industries through the training of the skilful, marketable and industry-ready young individuals.
“As its name suggests, Spectrum Anew serves as a brand new platform for the young artists and creative entrepreneurs to showcase their talents and what they have to offer as the next generation of leaders and innovators,” he said.
“The event celebrates research, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit that the university encourages. The projects are the exemplary products of what can be achieved when the practice of academic research is combined with the knowledge of art, technology and business,” he said. “The university and Spectrum share the beliefs of showcasing and strengthening the relevance and development of the creative industries and their socio-economic impacts in Brunei Darussalam.”
He added, “It is important for the youth to be equipped with the qualities and skills for the workforce and for developing the country as the main driving force in the future, in line with the nation’s goals for Brunei Vision 2035.”
Pengiran Dr Mohammad Iskandar noted that through the university’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, the Design and Creative Industries (DCI) programme and ‘Spectrum’ have established a multidisciplinary approach in educating and training students to ensure they are future-ready and able to overcome challenges.
“The multidisciplinary approach will prepare them for the high demands of the society,” he said, adding that the students’ spirits reflect the hopes of the university and the achievements reflect the university’s goal.
Spectrum is the creative industries graduation exhibition for the DCI undergraduate programme and carries on the legacy of Spectacle – the graduation exhibition for the now discontinued Art and Creative Technology (ACT) programme.
To mark the fresh beginning, the 2021 exhibition organised by the first DCI graduating year is themed ‘Anew’.
The exhibition, which will conclude on May 8, showcases the creative works of the 28 students, their skills in their projects and collective effort in making the exhibition happen.
Students are sorted into six clusters in accordance with the nature of the projects – visual arts, creative writing and publishing, entertainment, film and animation, interior and furniture design and fashion.
Spectrum aims to promote interests in the creative industries across different generations, encourage artistic and technical creativity across different generations and to promote the graduating year of DCI as skilful, flexible and brimming with potential in professional environments.
It also serves to positively influence the creative community and catalyse the growing potential of other DCI undergraduate students, to illustrate the diversity and relevance of the creative industries, creative activities and their socio-economic impacts and to strengthen and solidify the relationships between the university as well as the local creative industry and its supporters.