The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), hosted a professorial lecture by Professor Dr Noor Azam Orang Kaya Maha Bijaya (OKMB) Haji Othman on 30th April 2025.
Professor Dr Noor Azam, an established scholar in English language and linguistics, has made significant contributions to linguistic studies, media studies, and language education throughout his distinguished career.
In his lecture titled The Ecology of Language in Brunei: Diversity, Interplay and Equity, Professor Dr Noor Azam presented a critical synthesis of his lifelong research into the multilingual landscape of Brunei through an ecological framework of language. From a sociolinguistic perspective, he argued that languages in Brunei coexist, compete, and adapt within cultural, educational, and political contexts. He further emphasised that multilingualism should be understood as a dynamic and evolving system, rather than a problem to be resolved. The lecture also highlighted his long-standing advocacy for ecological equity among languages in Brunei, acknowledging that each language holds important roles and instrumental value.
Professor Dr Noor Azam’s research primarily focuses on analysing language, education, and state policies, with an emphasis on sociolinguistic and socio-cultural patterns. He believes that Brunei remains a veritable laboratory for linguistic research that deserves greater recognition by local scholars.
Currently serving as the Acting Director of the Institute of Asian Studies (IAS), Professor Dr Noor Azam has held various leadership roles at UBD. His academic journey includes tenures as Director of the Language Centre, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, and Dean of the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education (SHBIE). From 2014 to 2017, he was Director of the Centre for Advanced Research (CARe), where interdisciplinary research and innovation thrived under his leadership. He later served as Director and Visiting Professor at the UBD-FPT Global Centre in Da Nang, Vietnam (2017–2018), further showcasing UBD’s global presence.
Beyond the university, he was appointed Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Corporate) at the Ministry of Education from 2023 to 2024.
Throughout his career, Professor Dr Noor Azam has received numerous accolades in recognition of his academic and administrative excellence. These include the UBD Teaching Excellence Award for the Arts and Humanities (2012), the Pingat Indah Kerja Baik (PIKB)/Meritorious Service Medal (2013), a Special Mention Award during the 28th Brunei National Teacher’s Day (2018), and the Pingat Kerja Lama (PKL) in June 2022.
In his remarks during the lecture, Professor Dr Noor Azam expressed heartfelt gratitude to his family, mentors, colleagues, and friends for their unwavering support.
One of the earliest local academics recruited into UBD’s Department of English Language and Linguistics, Professor Dr Noor Azam shared that his aspiration to become a scholar and contribute to the development of linguistics in Brunei has always been his driving force. He has since published numerous academic works that have been cited both locally and internationally.
His research, particularly on the sociolinguistic situation in Brunei, has gained recognition from scholars worldwide, including his doctoral thesis Changes in the Linguistic Diversity in Brunei Darussalam (2005). Through his work, he aims to provide an accurate local perspective for the global academic community.
A deep passion for academia, a relentless pursuit of self-improvement, and enduring support from family and colleagues have been central to Professor Dr Noor Azam’s promotion to full professor at UBD.
The professorial lecture also formed part of UBD’s 40th-anniversary celebrations, commemorating four decades of academic excellence, innovation, and community impact since the university’s establishment in 1985.
