Monday, January 12, 2009

UBD to offer students more flexibility



UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam (UBD) will revise four degree programmes this year, offering students more flexibility in their studies, its vice-chancellor said.

"Starting from August this year, there will be a change in the four programmes — Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Health Science and Bachelor of Business," said Dr Zulkarnain Hanafi.

The degree programme's multi-disciplinary approaches will offer a range of pathways to provide students with flexibility in their choice of career which is essential in the rapidly changing global economy of the 21st century, he said in a press conference.

He said that the degree programmes will be based on the development of innovation and leadership, environmental awareness and entrepreneurship, thereby producing marketable and competitive graduates, as well as job creators.

Associate Professor Roger Lawrey, dean of UBD's Faculty of Business, Economics and Policy Studies, said that the new programmes will offer more breadth and depth.

"In addition to having sufficient depth in their major disciplines, they will have the flexibility to choose electives from various fields," he said.

He said that the electives would provide critical, analytical, theoretical, and practical perspectives for more relevance in the major disciplines.

Dubbed the "Discovery Year", third-year students will also have the opportunity to spend one semester studying abroad and another semester in an internship programme in the country or overseas.

"We want to expose undergraduates to foreign cultures, so they will be more outward looking. That is why we will introduce the Discovery Year," said Dr Zulkarnain.

The vice-chancellor said that the university would provide cutting edge knowledge, adding that these changes were needed to equip students with skills and knowledge relevant to societal needs.

"It's time to capitalise on human capital, one of our infinite resources," he added.

He said that UBD must offer programmes that are more innovative, broad-based and multi-disciplinary.

"As the premier institution of learning, UBD needs to take up the mantle of being a pioneer among the higher education institutions in the country, with a strongly evident competitive edge

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