A POSTGRADUATE student from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) left for Prague in the Czech Republic last week to join 63 students from 51 Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) countries at the 5th ASEM Rectors’ Conference and Students’ Forum (ARC5).
Dayangku Salimatul Sa’ada binti Pengiran Mohd Saleh had been selected by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) out of over 3,400 applicants across Asia and Europe to participate in the forum as a student-representative from Brunei Darussalam.
ARC is an Official Dialogue Partner of the ‘ASEM Ministers of Education’ Meeting (ASEM ME). The theme of ARC5 is ‘Employability: Asia and Europe Prepare the New Generation’.
This included the discussion on how cooperation between universities, businesses and governments can provide students with the necessary skills and competences to better prepare and adapt the new generation for the labour market.
Based on focussed group discussions, ARC5 participants jointly developed policy recommendations that will be compiled and delivered to the ASEM ME6 next year.
Dayangku Salimatul Sa’ada binti Pengiran Mohd Saleh, a postgraduate student from Universiti Brunei Darussalam, during the 5th ASEM Rectors’ Conference and Students’ Forum
Dayangku Salimatul Sa’ada in a group photo with other participants in ARC5
“Youth unemployment, including among university graduates, is a global issue that needs to be addressed. I believe that the ARC5 provides a good platform for this as it allows students’ voices to be heard by education leaders and policy-makers, and allowing collaboration between Asia-Europe students to explore ways that can better shape the education system for employability in both regions,” Dayangku Salimatul Sa’ada said.
She went on to say that among the key points highlighted throughout the discussions were the importance of employability-friendly curricula, private and public partnerships in reforming the education system, the development of soft skills among students, flexibility and adaptation to the changes in the new economy, as well as working towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Apart from plenary and working group sessions, there were also skills workshops led by trainers from different industries, as well as formal and informal visits to several places, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cultural Tour in Prague.
Dayangku Salimatul also took the opportunity to showcase one of Brunei’s traditional dances during the Asia-Europe Cultural Evening.
Also attending from Brunei were Datin Dr Hajah Anita Binurul Zahrina binti Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Wijaya Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Aziz, Vice-Chancellor of UBD, and Dr Teo Siew Yean, Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Global Affairs) of UBD, who were representatives for the ARC5 Conference, which was held from April 6-8.
The post UBD student attends ARC5 in Prague appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.