UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam (UBD) is one of the fastest growing young universities in the region. Only 32 years since its establishment, UBD recently broke into the QS World rankings, attaining a 349th rank out of over 26,000 universities worldwide.
Now placed among the top 1.3 per cent of universities in the world, UBD is also one of only 13 universities from Southeast Asia to be ranked in the top 400 in the world.
Other achievements for UBD include being ranked 105th in Asia, up from 123 the previous year, and it is also placed 37th among universities in the world founded less than 50 years ago. According to the QS Top 50 Under 50, UBD is sixth in Asean and 16th in Asia of universities under the age of 50 years.
According to a press release, UBD was ranked top in Asia for student exchange, demonstrating the demand for its Degree, Master and PhD programmes not only from within the country but also from international students.
Through its flagship GenNEXT programme, UBD takes a multidisciplinary approach to teaching and learning, allowing graduates to not only master their major subjects but also explore areas of interest in other faculties.
This provides graduates with wider options upon completion of their studies. A particular area where GenNEXT shines is the annual UBD Shell Eco-marathon team, comprising individuals from across the university, utilising their diverse backgrounds and various skills to work towards producing efficient vehicles. Last year’s team broke the national record for the Prototype Battery Electric Car category. With its goal to become a ‘University of Innovation and Enterprise’, UBD also incorporates the entrepreneurial mindset in modules throughout its faculties, encouraging students to be more enterprising with their ideas regardless of whether they intend to go into entrepreneurship or not.
Spearheaded by UBD, the Entrepreneurship Village (EV) facilitates workshops, trainings and forums helping students to realise their ideas into actual business plans as well as viable products and services.
Some of the incubatees have successfully launched their own businesses, and they continue to give back to the community by helping out and mentoring other aspiring student entrepreneurs.
Through its cutting-edge technology and facilities, impactful research thrusts and internationally recognised academic staff, UBD graduates are equipped with the knowledge and skills to face current and future challenges in an increasingly competitive world.
And even after they have completed their studies in UBD, the university continues to offer additional modules and programmes as part of its belief in lifelong learning.
Along with other faculties, the Centre for Lifelong Learning (C3L) enables graduates as well as other members of the public to pursue further knowledge in various areas of interest. With its Blended Learning programmes, students are able to study at the pace, place and along the path of their own choosing. – TEXT & PHOTOS: UBD
| Siti Marlina binti Haji Abdul Manan Research Officer Bachelor of Arts (Public Policy & Administration)  |
| “My time in UBD were some of the best years of my life and they have played a major role in my personal development. I came in with the expectation of only experiencing academic growth but upon graduating, UBD has given me more than that. It was where most of the meaningful connections which I still have today were forged through mind broadening lectures, lively tutorials, volunteer work, and extra-curricular activities. It has also helped me to truly understand the kind of positive difference I can contribute to with the knowledge gained, to be of benefit to others around me, which I have always aspired to do. Alhamdulillah, I am grateful to be given the opportunity to grow as an individual in an institution that means a lot to me and give back as much as I can to the generation after me, with the hopes that they leave here with experiences which transform them into better individuals. The journey on this path is a tough one but Insya Allah, it will not be a lonely and uninteresting one! Along the way, you will learn and get the support you need from your friends, other students, lecturers, staff and alumni. That is because UBD is more than just an academic institution. It is a community that grows together and lifts as well as inspires one another.”
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| Adimas bin Haji M Salleh Acting Country Manager (Petroleum Brunei), Myanmar Master of Science (Geosciences)  |
| “The UBD Library is the very best in Brunei! Studying in UBD is an opportunity for you to meet other people from other countries and backgrounds. Only a few years there would shape you, especially through the connectivity of people. It is something that shouldn’t be missed. You will find that your fraternity will last longer than the programme you take. The network of UBD alumni is also huge. I have come across many UBD graduates all over Asia in my line of work.”
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| Mohammad Aizuddin bin Haji Metusin CEO, Amherst Envirotech Operations Manager (Parking Division), Radiant Engineering Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) Master of Science (Energy Studies)  |
| “Studying in UBD was an experience that I will always cherish. With a total of five years spent in UBD, I have gained a lot from lecturers, colleagues and staff members of the different departments/faculty I have been in. I keep on coming back to the faculty on my off days just to spend some time catching up with my former lecturers, just to keep in touch with the people who made me what I am today. Don’t be demotivated by failure, use it as a stepping stone to discover your strength.”
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