Lyna Mohamad

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 urged Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) yesterday to continue its efforts towards becoming a university that can truly contribute to the development of knowledge, as well as solving contemporary issues through research.

In a titah delivered during an unscheduled visit to the university, His Majesty said, “In 2008, Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) was upgraded to UTB. It has undergone extraordinary developments, including the expansion of its academic programme portfolio and the establishment of strategic collaborations with industries and universities.”

His Majesty highlighted the research efforts being conducted by UTB, including core research into oil and gas, green energy and water, which are important to Brunei.

“Unquestionably, UTB offers programmes related to our national interests, such as the Business School which has three field programmes: Economy, Accounting and Management. All of these are contributors towards development,” said the monarch.

“In summation, the programmes offered by the faculty are explorations of relevant areas, such as the Faculty of Engineering with four programme areas: Civil Engineering, Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Petroleum and Chemical Engineering.

“All of these serve to generate growthand advancement.

“In my view, there is nothing lacking here, except on the question of ethics, which needs to be indicated. UTB must determine its preferred stance regarding ethics.

“Undoubtedly, that stance must be based on Islamic ethics, which are in accordance with our cultural identity.

“Our cultural identity cannot afford to assimilate all foreign influences, except those that are acceptable. This should be taken into account, as a sovereign and independent nation with its own identity.

“This sense of identity can be lost through a compliant attitude towards foreign culture and influences in life,” said His Majesty, concluding the titah.

His Majesty’s arrival at the UTB campus was greeted by UTB Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman at the main building of the university.

Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah; Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman; and Deputy Minister of Education Datin Seri Paduka Dr Hajah Romaizah binti Haji Mohd Salleh were also present.

His Majesty took a closer look at the university’s facilities and infrastructure, during his tour of the Phase 2 buildings. His Majesty interacted with the staff and students from the UTB School of Business (UTB SB) and the School of Computing and Informatics (SCI).

The monarch also visited the School of Design (SDe), the Engineering laboratories and workshops under the Faculty of Engineering. His Majesty also toured Phase 3 of the campus, inspecting the Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Laboratory, the Students’ Cafeteria, the Student Representative Council’s office, and others.

Towards the end of the visit, His Majesty delivered a titah at the White Canopy and Concourse of the university.

The unscheduled visit marks the monarch’s continuing attention towards educational development and progress in the country, in line with the goals of Brunei Vision 2035 in producing citizens who are knowledgeable, highly skilled and successful.

UTB is an engineering and technology university in Brunei Darussalam that specialises in the niche areas of Engineering, Business, Computing, Applied Sciences and Mathematics, and Design.

The university offers 25 Bachelor’s degree programmes; 10 Master’s degree programmes via research and courses; and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Engineering, Commerce, Computing and Informatics, Applied Sciences and Mathematics and Design.

UTB has signed numerous agreements with prestigious organisations in the country and around the world to collaborate in research, education and training programmes, which include the exchange of undergraduate and postgraduate students, industrial internships, exchange of academics, joint research, conferences, consultancies, seminars and other projects.

UTB is the only local university to receive a five-star ranking from the QS Star rating, as well as the first university to have successfully acquired the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Certification by the Bureau Veritas in July last year.

UTB’s vision is to become a global university impacting society, and its mission is to nurture socially responsible talents that are deeply rooted in Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB) values and committed to building a global and entrepreneurial society in pursuit of innovation and industry-relevant capabilities, towards the fulfilment of Brunei Vision 2035.