Aziz Idris

It was a day of jubilation for 590 students from Laksamana College of Business (LCB) in Business, Hospitality and Computing courses, who received certificates at the LCB Graduation Day at The Rizqun International Hotel in Gadong yesterday.

The ceremony was conducted in two sessions: morning session specifically for University of Chester, United Kingdom degree students, and the afternoon session for BTEC programmes, University Foundation Course, Kensington College of Business (KCB) and City and Guilds Programmes students.

Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism cum guest of honour Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ali bin Haji Apong presented the certificates for the morning session, while University of Chester Senior Pro-Vice-Chancellor Dr Chris Haslam presented certificates during the afternoon session.

Deputy British High Commissioner to Brunei Darussalam Natalie Gowers Barnes also attended.

This year sees the third batch of graduates for the University of Chester degree programmes completing the whole course at LCB. The University of Chester programmes comprise degree courses in Management, BA (Hons) in Marketing and BSc (Hons) in Computer Science.

A total of 178 students graduated from the University of Chester courses, with nine graduates securing First Class Honours Degree – one in BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance and eight in BSc (Hons) in Computer Science.

In addition, the newly launched Culinary School by LCB also saw the first batch of students receiving their Level 1 Certificates in Food Preparation and Cooking, awarded by City and Guilds.

The graduates included 37 from BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance; 62 from BA (Hons)in Business Management; 14 from BA (Hons) in Marketing, 65 from BSc (Hons) in Computer Science; 63 from University Foundation Course; 23 KCB Programmes (Higher Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Diploma and Certificates); 48 from the Pearson BTEC Level 5 HND in Business (Accounting/Marketing); 15 from Pearson BTEC Level 5 HND in Hospitality Management; 53 from Pearson BTEC Level 5 HND in Computing and Systems Development; two from Pearson BTEC Level 4 HNC in Computing and Systems Development; 30 from Pearson BTEC Level 3 Diploma in IT; 72 from Pearson BTEC Level 3 Diploma in Business; 74 from Pearson BTEC Level 2 Certificate in Business; while 19 took the City and Guilds Level 1 Certificate in Food Preparation and Cooking.

Recipient of the First Class Honours in Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Kong Xiang Yun thanked LCB’s Board of Directors and the lecturers for nominating her for the first scholarship recipients of Laksamana’s Chester Degree Programmes. “I express my gratitude. Without you, I would never have come this far,” she said.

She also advised fellow graduates that graduation is not an endpoint, but a beginning, noting, “Do not stop learning, do not stop trying, and you will be well-equipped to handle whatever challenges life throws your way,” added Kong.