Lyna Mohamad
Some 1,060 graduates, comprising eight in PhD, 282 in Master’s degree, 747 Bachelor’s degree, 19 in Graduate Diploma and four in Diploma, were feted during the 33rd Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) Convocation Ceremony yesterday.
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, the Chancellor of UBD and His Royal Highness Prince (Dr) Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office, the Pro-Chancellor of UBD attended the event at the university’s Chancellor Hall.
His Majesty conferred PhD and Bachelor’s Degree certificate to 755 graduates in the morning while Masters, Graduate Diploma and Diploma recipients received their certificates in the afternoon from His Royal Highness.
The ceremony began with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah by State Mufti Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia (Dr) Ustaz Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned.
His Majesty was greeted on arrival by Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman and UBD Vice-Chancellor Datin Dr Hajah Anita Binurul Zahrina binti Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Wijaya Dato Seri Setia Haji Awang Abdul Aziz.
The event saw the recitation of verses 27 to 30 of Surah Fatir read by Muhammad Izzuddin bin Haji Nor Hisham, who participated in Al-Quran Reading Competitions Higher Learning Institution Level in 2019, National Youth Level in 2017 and Mosques Level in 2015.
This was followed by a welcoming address from the vice-chancellor, who highlighted the university’s academic achievements, including the establishment of a new research field covering emerging diseases with projects such as a collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and DUKE-NUS Singapore in the study of immune response to various COVID-19 vaccines in the populace.
She said digital initiatives were given priority, particularly in the current pandemic situation and Fourth Industrial Revolution to improve the students’ marketability.
The School of Digital Science was set up last year in collaboration with the information and communications industry to ensure the digital programme’s relevancy in the global landscape.
After the presentation of certificates, His Majesty viewed an exhibition where the UBD Strategic Plan 2021-2025 book was unveiled.
The plan aims to catapult UBD’s standing teaching, research and services by 2025 while contributing to Brunei Vision 2035. UBD’s Vision 2025 focusses on three goals – becoming a university of lifelong learning; becoming a university of research excellence; and becoming a university of innovation and enterprise.
The exhibition also featured Alya Playhouse and Fatih Aquaculture as well as a research collaboration on ‘Preliminary Investigations into the Determination of Bioactive Compounds and Mineral composition in Aquilaria (Agarwood) Leaves Found in Brunei Darussalam’.
