| Lyna Mohamad |
UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and other higher learning institutions should ensure the applicability of their respective programmes in order to produce marketable and future-ready graduates, said His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and the Chancellor of UBD.
In a titah delivered at the university’s 29th Convocation Ceremony yesterday, the monarch said, “Unemployment issues must be tackled in a ‘whole-of-nation’ approach, where government and non-government agencies need to play their respective roles.”
His Majesty noted, “Institutions of higher learning are responsible for producing human resources, while other agencies should undertake initiatives to boost the country’s economic growth and create new jobs.
“It is with this in mind, that I have consented to the establishment of a UBD campus – the UBD-FPT Global Centre – at Da Nang in Vietnam. I am given to understand that this is the first overseas campus to be set up by a university from an Asean member country, and it is my pleasure to announce that UBD has already recruited 13 local graduates who are undergoing training as instructors at the UBD-FPT Global Centre.”
His Majesty said that UBD’s overseas venture is a mark of achievement in the international arena.
“This is a good sign for the future, particularly in terms of progress and development, but even as UBD branches out extensively, some principles must not be abandoned,” said the monarch, adding that “UBD must retain its uniqueness, without making any alterations to its image and core essence”.
“To elevate its status, one of the necessary components that UBD must consider is exploring areas of research, as this is the determining factor that separates a university from other higher learning institutions.”
Acknowledging the university’s efforts to conduct studies on an international level, His Majesty also called for more focus in the areas of Islamic governance and data science and analytics, apart from existing research fields such as biodiversity, energy studies and Asian studies.
“In this regard, I have consented to the establishment of two new centres at UBD, the first being the Institute of Applied Data Analytics. Formerly known as the UBD|IBM Centre, the institute will focus on big data and data analytics,” said His Majesty.
“The second centre is the FPT-UBD Innovation Lab, which is a joint cooperative with the FPT University in Vietnam, focusing on research and training in fields related to information such as data analytics, the Internet of Things, cloud computing and cybersecurity.
“It is imperative that these research activities should contribute towards the enrichment of knowledge, while at the same time helping to develop the country’s economic growth.”
His Majesty also expressed the hope of seeing yet more research outcomes which could be harnessed for commercial activities and further employment opportunities.
“It is my hope that research and innovation will undergo further expansion, particularly in those areas requiring collaboration or close cooperation between universities and relevant agencies such as industries,” said the monarch.
On the subject of competitiveness, His Majesty congratulated UBD for its 37th spot in the QS World University Rankings for the first time this year, noting its standing among the 1.3 per cent of the world’s top universities.
“Rankings are important in the assessment of a particular university on an international level, but in the meantime, we must not overlook or lose sight of national agendas such as employment,” said His Majesty.
His Majesty concluded the titah by congratulating the new graduates at UBD’s 29th Convocation Ceremony.
“It is my wish to see every one of you inclined towards success and willing to work for the advancement of this beloved country of ours,” said the monarch. “I also urge all of you to abide by the teachings of Islam, so that you will continue to receive blessings and divine protection from Allah the Almighty.”
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