| Danial Norjidi |
THE Embassy of the United States of America in Brunei Darussalam and EducationUSA hosted the fifth US Higher Education Fair yesterday at the Songket Hall of The Rizqun International Hotel.
The US Higher Education Fair saw the involvement of representatives from 20 US universities and colleges with diverse educational programmes at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels.
The US institutions represented included the University of California; Illinois Institute of Technology; California State University, Long Beach; California State University, Dominguez Hills; Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD); Foothill + De Anza Colleges; Gonzaga University; Temple University; Susquehanna University; Orange Coast College; University of Colorado-Boulder; University of Michigan Flint; Shoreline Community College; University of Northern Iowa; Miami University; Upper Iowa University; Georgia State University; Kansas State University; Lane Community College; and University of Akron.
The event was launched by the US Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, Craig Allen with the guest of honour, Hajah Anis Faudzulani binti Haji Dzulkiflee, the Director-General of Education, Ministry of Education (MoE).
Also featured at the Higher Education Fair yesterday were representatives from the MoE and alumni members from the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), the Brunei-US Alumni Association and US Embassy representatives.
In a speech yesterday, the US Ambassador said, “We are honoured to have with us 20 representatives from a wide variety of colleges and universities from across the United States, including California, Washington, Virginia, Illinois, Kansas, Oregon, Ohio, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Colorado and Georgia.
“They represent the quality, diversity and strong reputation of US higher education, and they have travelled from across the globe to show you that US colleges and universities welcome and value the diversity that every Bruneian contributes to a US campus.”
He added that international students bring new opinions to the classroom, new experiences to the campus and new ideas to the research conducted in laboratories and libraries nationwide.
“International educational exchange builds bridges of friendship and deepens our understanding and respect for one another,” he said. “There is no better way to expand wisdom, empathy and perception than through education.
“I also wish to raise awareness about the importance of giving our students a globally-focused education and the skills needed to be successful in our increasingly interconnected world.
“It is important for every student to know that it is your right to have access to quality education regardless of race, religion or colour, and regardless of whether you require special accommodations due to a disability.”
The ambassador went on to highlight, “Today, my hope is that parents in the audience will also get a chance to learn that US universities are committed to welcoming and caring for your sons and daughters, while providing them with an excellent tertiary education.
“I also hope that teachers, educators and government officials that are here today will come away with a better understanding of the US educational system, and with the realisation that the US can be a strong partner in your quest to train and educate the next generation of Bruneians,” he added.
The US Embassy hosted the event in cooperation with EducationUSA, a US Department of State-supported network of hundreds of advising centres around the world.
Each year, EducationUSA advisers provide millions of international students with accurate, comprehensive and current information about how to apply to US colleges and universities. EducationUSA staff also work with US higher education professionals to promote international student recruitment.