Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and China’s Zhejiang University (ZJU) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to continue providing scholarship programmes to equip Bruneians with skills via industrial exposure in China, followed by industrial training internships and employment at Hengyi Industries Sdn Bhd in Brunei Darussalam during a ceremony at The Empire Brunei yesterday.
The signing was witnessed by guests of honour Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Minister of Defence II Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof as Co-Chair of the Pulau Muara Besar (PMB) Development Steering Committee, Minister at the PMO and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah as Chairman of the Foreign Direct Investment and Downstream Industry Steering Committee; Minister of Development Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Muhammad Juanda bin Haji Abdul Rashid as Co-Chair of the PMB Development Steering Committee and Zhejiang Hengyi Group Co Ltd Chairman and Hengyi Chairman Qiu Jianlin.
Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi in his speech highlighted Hengyi Industries’ commitment towards advancing young local capabilities and talents throughout the years are evident through the collaboration established with local higher institutions, and the high number of scholarships awarded to local students, as well as the number of recruitments of local students under the programme so far.
The MoU was formalised with UBD Vice-Chancellor Dr Hazri bin Haji Kifle and Chairman of the ZJU Council Professor Shaobo Ren on behalf of ZJU Council.
With the signing of the MoU, UBD, ZJU and Hengyi Industries will continue the joint collaboration programme for an additional five years in which UBD students will have the opportunity to enrol in the joint-training Chemical and Process Engineering programme at UBD and ZJU.
Since its inception in March 2014, the collaboration programme has produced 117 graduates across 10 intakes.
As part of the programme, students will undergo four years of studies consisting of four semesters of academic studies with UBD, three semesters of studies with ZJU and one semester with Hengyi Industries for industrial training internship. Upon completion and graduation from the programme, scholars will begin their career in the petrochemical industry at Hengyi Industries. – James Kon
