Universiti Brunei Darussalam has achieved a new milestone with the entrance of ‘Computer Science’ into the Times Higher Education (THE) Subject Rankings for the first time, placing in the 251-300 band.
UBD has been listed in the THE Subject Rankings since 2021 and has shown steady progress over the years. This year, the university recorded its highest number of ranked subjects to date, with eight subjects now featured in the rankings.
Alongside the debut of ‘Computer Science’ in the THE Subject Rankings, six of the seven previously ranked subjects improved their positions. ‘Education Studies’ ranked 201-250, while ‘Business and Economics’ and ‘Engineering’ ranked 251-300. ‘Life Sciences’, ‘Medical and Health’, and ‘Physical Sciences’ ranked 401-500. Social Sciences maintained its position at 301-400.
Within Southeast Asia, UBD’s ranked subjects continue to place competitively in the top 10. ‘Computer Science’, ‘Social Science’, and ‘Engineering’ ranked seventh in the region, while ‘Medical and Health’ ranked eighth, ‘Education Studies’ ranked 9th, while ‘Business and Economics’, ‘Life Sciences’, and ‘Physical Sciences’ ranked tenth.
Computer Science is offered under the School of Digital Sciences (SDS), empowering students with cutting-edge knowledge in computer systems, advanced computing, and mathematics which build the skills to innovate, solve real-world challenges, and thrive in the digital future. The programme emphasises the application of theory to practice, including opportunities for internships to allow students to work on live projects and make significant contributions even before officially entering the workforce.
SDS also offers the Applied Artificial Intelligence (AAI) programme, which received the Coursera 2024 AI Innovation Award for the Asia-Pacific Region. The programme integrates industry-relevant Artificial Intelligence (AI) modules into its curriculum and supports capacity building aligned with Brunei Darussalam’s Digital Economy Masterplan 2025. Its first cohort graduated in 2025.
Over the past year, the SDS has received significant national and international recognition, reflecting its growing impact in research excellence, innovation, and industry-relevant education. Notably, SDS secured the 2024 ASEAN–US Prize for Women (Mid-Career Scientist Category), highlighting leadership and excellence in scientific research. It also received the prestigious 2024 Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Cybersecurity Award, reinforcing SDS’s strength in cybersecurity capacity building and international collaboration. SDS students and teams demonstrated strong competitive performance by achieving 3rd Place in the 2024 Cyberbattle competition, while an SDS student was recognised through participation and excellence at International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2024, a leading international robotics conference. These achievements build on prior national recognition, including the Brunei ICT Awards (BICTA) Merit Award, and were further showcased through a Teachers’ Day technology demonstration presented to His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, underscoring SDS’s contribution to national digital transformation and talent development.
On the latest THE Subject Rankings and the university’s ongoing campus-wide digitalisation efforts, UBD Vice-Chancellor Dr Hazri Haji Kifle said, “from incorporating digital media and online platforms in everyday teaching and learning to ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), UBD has come a long way in transforming the educational landscape. The global recognition of ‘Computer Science’ at UBD is a proud achievement and testament to the university’s collaborative efforts by academics, students, staff and the invaluable partnerships with industries and other world-class institutions.”