| Azlan Othman |
FOREIGN students in large numbers are flocking to discover Brunei, the Kingdom of Unexpected Treasures, under the auspices of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD).
“There has been an increase in the number of international students who are enrolling in UBD’s Global Discovery Programme (GDP) to explore the Sultanate and enrich their learning experience by engaging in home stays, educational visits to various agencies and excursions to interesting places related to their area of studies,” Dr Joyce Teo Siew Yean, Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Global Affairs) of UBD said yesterday.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of UBD’s ‘Global Discovery Programme: Global Leadership Summer School’, she said the university welcomed more than 200 students last year. “Currently, we host 45 students from Princess Naradhiwas University in Thailand who have joined the Intensive English Proficiency Course.”
The Global Discovery Programme: Global Leadership Summer School is UBD’s flagship programme that offers the chance to learn and experience first-hand the feel of life in the Sultanate.
It is an inter-disciplinary, socially-enriching course which offers international students an opportunity to spend part of their summer break living in and learning about Brunei.
The course is designed to include personal leadership skills such as teamwork, creative problem-solving, negotiation and communication techniques. Other components of this programme include community involvement activities and team-building events that will allow international students to explore the Kingdom of Unexpected Treasures.
Forty participants from 10 foreign universities – Birmingham City University, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Xiamen University, Xian Jiaotong University, Sultan Qaboos University, Hong Kong University, Mah Fae Luang University and Mahasarakham University – will undergo the four-week summer school programme run by the Office of Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Global Affairs).
Dr Joyce Teo Siew Yean, Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Global Affairs) of Universiti Brunei Darussalam, delivering her speech
Foreign students participating in Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s (UBD) Global Discovery Programme in a group photo with Dr Joyce Teo Siew Yean, Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Global Affairs) of UBD. – PHOTOS: AZLAN OTHMAN
“The GDP is not new. It has been running in UBD for six years since its launch in 2011 with students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,” Dr Joyce said.
“The GDP has expanded to three broad areas, namely Discover Malay language and Culture Course; Discover Brunei Course and Intensive English Proficiency Course,” she added.
Most students arrived on Monday for the Summer School and they will undergo a mixture of classes and excursions relating to the five themes of the GDP, namely Language, MIB (Malay Islamic Monarchy), History of Brunei, Green Science and Business and Industry while also focusing on leadership, team-building and community outreach.
Upon completion of the programme, the participants will receive academic transcripts and four modular credits and certificates of completion.
The distinct combination of classes and excursions to discover Brunei creates a unique blend that the Office of Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Global Affairs) hopes will enrich their learning experience.
For the past six years, the GDP has been increasingly popular with UBD’s partner universities, namely National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, King’s College London, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, Fatoni University, Universiti Malaya (UM), University of Tsukuba, and many others.
The post Foreign students flocking to discover Brunei’s treasures appeared first on Borneo Bulletin Online.