| Hakim Hayat |
UNIVERSITI Teknologi Brunei (UTB) is ranked at 181- by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings in a recent report positioning the university among the top 36 per cent in the QS, which is an improvement from 38.7 per cent last year.
The QS highlights top universities in Asia every year; over 500 institutions across the continent were competitively evaluated, with 92 new entrants this year, in the annual ranking published annually since 2009.
The QS method retains key indicators of the global ranking, which include Academic Reputation, Employer Reputation, and Faculty to Student Ratio, but also considers a set of performance metrics tailored for the region.
Despite dropping 16 places from 165 last year, UTB still maintains its position among the top 200 in Asia. The assessment also indicated that UTB’s strength is in International faculty ranked at 18, outbound exchange students at 19, faculty students at 56 and international students at 74.
This year, QS has introduced International Research Network as a new indicator to measure the diversity and richness of translational research partnerships. Using the same time-window as the World University Rankings, the new indicator evaluates only those research partners that meet the minimum threshold of co-authored publications.
This year’s assessment also indicates that under employer reputation, UTB is now ranked at 238 from 251 last year, showing that it is acknowledged by employers around the world for providing the best professionals.
UTB Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman, expressed delight that UTB was able to maintain its position among the top 200 in the QS Asia University Ranking this year.
“In its 10th year as a university and second year in the ranking exercise, UTB is definitely on a steep learning curve. The fluidity in the ranking also shows the dynamism of higher education institutions around the world, and emphasises the need to evolve and be at the leading edge of both education and research,” she said.
She also acknowledged the need for UTB to improve further on its research, in accordance with the titah of 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 UTB, during the UTB Convocation 2018, urging the university to intensify its research efforts while staying proactive in developing action plans for teaching.
His Majesty in the titah also said that the success of a university depends on the success of producing graduates and research output, which can contribute to economic growth and development.
In a press statement, UTB said that its participation in the QS provides a benchmark for the university’s progress against other international universities in Asia.
“At 10 years of age, UTB has achieved multiple significant milestones and proud to be in the same league with other renowned universities by being rated a five-star University by the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), ranked at 442 in the world and Young Global University at 57, under the age of 50 years,” said the UTB statement.