James Kon
Recipients of the Fulbright and Global UGRAD scholarships are driven to contribute to the Sultanate as they are about to embark on their studies in the United States (US).
A Fulbright recipient David Liew Teck Voon, who will be in the US for a year to take up Masters of Science in Sustainability Management at America University, said, “I am hoping to take up the knowledge in the best industry specialising in these particular areas and bring the knowledge and expertise back to Brunei.”
Liew said he wanted to have a career change moving away from the oil and gas industry to sustainability management.
“US is one of the leading countries in the forefront of sustainability. Even in the oil and gas industry, there are carbon capture storage and concept of carbon credit. These are the focus areas that I hope to pick up when I am in the US,” he said, adding that he is proud to have received the prestigious scholarship, known in over 150 nations worldwide.
“I realise that there are more than 100 scholars from all over the world, and I am looking forward to meeting them.”
Meanwhile, recipient of Fulbright US-ASEAN Visiting scholar Norhayatunajibah binti Haji Kifli will take up research on big data and learning analytics in ‘Improving Students Retention and Success Rates: an ASEAN Perspective’ at Hawaii Pacific University for four months.
“I have been interested on the research of big data, and Fulbright has offered this opportunity. In the US, there are several research done on big data in education setting, so I want to explore this,” she said, hoping to bring the result to improve the education in the Sultanate.
She recalled that applying for the scholarship was not easy for her with several applicants carrying notable topics to be considered as well.
Aida Murad, a Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) student, will be taking up English literature for a semester at the University of Missouri St Louis.
The Brunei’s Second Cohort of Global UGRAD scholars recipient said she is very excited to learn more about the US.
“I hope to learn more about English and have cultural exchange with other students in the US,” she added.
