| Syazwani Hj Rosli |
SOME 500 students, including international and UniBridge students, attended the opening of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) Freshers’ Week for the January 2018 Intake – the second intake of the 2017/2018 academic year – at Universiti Brunei Darussalam’s Chancellor Hall yesterday.
The event began with all of the newly enrolled students taking their oaths before the senior management, principal and officers of UBD, as well as their parents.
Delivering the Vice-Chancellor’s special address was UBD’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Dr Joyce Teo Siew Yean.
In her speech, Dr Teo highlighted that UBD will be aiming to guide and mentor the new students to achieve not only academic excellence, but also the skills and solid foundation with which they can use to face challenges in their lives ahead.
“The job market nowadays places much emphasis on the need to have excellent communication skills, leadership skills, networking ability, creativity, resilience, teamwork and (the ability to) carry others along with you, as well as entrepreneurial experience, to name a few,” she said.
“This is (what) UBD’s GenNEXT can help instill in you (the students). GenNEXT puts much importance on developing leadership and innovation, entrepreneurship, and environmental awareness,” Dr Teo continued.
She also highlighted the third-year Discovery Year programme, another important component of GenNEXT which provides students with hands-on experience as part of their preparations and to sharpen their soft skills through overseas educational placements.
She said that UBD also provides opportunities for students to interact with international students with diverse cultural backgrounds, something which she says “will definitely enrich their educational experience”.
“This will be a good opportunity for you to share with the international students on our national philosophy of Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) and our distinctive national identity as Bruneians,” Dr Teo told the new intake.
Throughout UBD Freshers’ Week, the students will be briefed on many aspects related to their academic needs such as the GenNEXT programme, module registration procedure, examination regulations, and Discovery Year programme. They will also be taught how to use the UBD online learning management system to support their learning, and how to use the library facilities.
The new students will also get to know more about the modules offered at the university as they will be introduced to their faculty members, notably the deans, deputy deans, programme leaders, as well as assistant registrars. Graduate students will be briefed separately on matters relating to their study requirements.
The fresh batch of students will be introduced to the functions of the Student Affairs Section and the UBD Students Association, with the focus being more on non-academic aspects and skills development of students, as well as extra-curricular activities being offered at UBD.
The students will also be given a walkthrough on the preparation and opportunities for their future careers by the Centre of Networking, Employment and Career Training (CoNECT), as well as a briefing on the Brunei Government Scholarship for scholarship applicants.
To raise awareness on a healthy lifestyle, the new intake will also participate in their first UBD Wednesday Activity, an activity which will be undertaken by all members of UBD. The university runs a weekly fitness session every Wednesday to promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle among its students and staff, and to improve the health and productivity of its community.
The UBD Freshers’ Week will close with a mass Zohor prayer and Surah Yaasiin and Doa Selamat recitations at the UBD Mosque to bless the commencement of the new semester.
UBD Freshers’ Week is a bi-annual event in which new students are briefed on matters relating to academic and non-academic life at the university and what it has to offer them.
The four-day orientation programme, aimed at familiarising the new students with their higher education studies at UBD, was co-organised by the Student Affairs Section and the Student Representative Council, and supported by student members and volunteers from the UBD Students Association.
Also present at yesterday’s event were UBD’s Assistant Vice-Chancellor; Students’ Dean Saidai bin Haji Hitam in his capacity as chairman of UBD Freshers’ Week for the January 2018 Intake; Special Academic Advisor, Professor Tong Chee Kiong; senior officers, officers and staff members; as well as parents and guardians.
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