A pre-departure orientation for United States (US) -bound students at Cesar Hall, Mulia Hotel yesterday by the US Embassy in Brunei Darussalam through its EducationUSA advising service provided a platform for the students and their parents to meet with US university alumni who offered tips on navigating the American academic, social, and cultural environment.
Yale University alumnus Dr Mu’izz Abdul Khalid, a recipient of Princeton University’s Fung Global Fellows Programme, said studying in the US was a different experience because the academic community is more vibrant.
“The people are open to various conversations and cultures and I was able to assimilate and adapt to the society more easily,” he added.
“I spent one year at Yale University. It made me more open to diverse viewpoints and appreciative of other people’s perspectives about the world. It also helped me become a better lecturer and scholar because I had the opportunity to learn from renowned professors.”
Dr Mu’izz also shared his experience studying in the US during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was initially challenging, however, Yale University was efficient and effective in ensuring the safety and well-being of students,” he said. For 21-year-old Aanisha Selavisi from Universiti Teknologi Brunei, who will spend six months in the US undergoing the Global Undergraduate Exchange programme, a cultural exchange programme is designed to increase participants’ knowledge and global connectivity.
The students will pursue their studies at various institutions across the US including Princeton University, New York University, University of California and Los Angeles, George Washington University, Texas A&M University and Austin Community College.
In the 2022/2023 academic year, 41 students were enrolled in US universities and institutions for undergraduate and graduate degree programmes. Six students undertook optional practical training, which is a temporary employment for international students in fields related to their studies. – Rokiah Mahmud
