Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) is taking great strides in leading the way in transforming education in Brunei Darussalam, particularly in empowering young Bruneian women with technological skills which include Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Organised by the Authority for Infocommunications Technology Industry for Brunei Darussalam (AITI), in collaboration with Brunei4AI and Office of University Alumni (UniAlumni), UBD, in partnership with the ‘Girls in ICT Day’ initiative held at the UBD Chancellor Hall on 23rd April 2026 brought together students, alumni, and industry facilitators in a dynamic, hands-on learning experience designed to ingnite a lasting passion for technology among young women in Brunei Darussalam.
At the heart of the initiative was a bold educational vision: that AI literacy must begin early, and that every young person — regardless of background or prior technical experience — deserves the opportunity to understand, engage with, and shape the technologies that will define their world.
The participants, secondary school students from Year 7 to Year 9, were introduced to AI through practical activities using tools such as Google Teachable Machine, enabling them to build functioning machine learning models without a single line of prior coding experience. The programme shattered a persistent myth: that AI is inaccessible, intimidating, or reserved for specialists. The reality is that AI is a tool that young minds can grasp, experiment with, and deploy creatively from an early age.
Critically, the sessions went beyond technical skills. Students were guided to think deeply about the ethical and responsible use of AI — engaging with real questions around bias, data quality, and the broader societal impact of algorithmic decision-making. This dimension of AI education is increasingly recognised as essential: as artificial intelligence becomes embedded in healthcare, business, governance, and daily life, Brunei Darussalam needs a generation of young innovators who are not only technically capable, but ethically grounded.
The programme was facilitated by three outstanding UBD alumni whose combined expertise spans academia, industry, and community leadership. Dr Mayyer Ling Mohammad Tony Ling, a UBD lecturer and Principal Advisor for Brunei4AI, has built her career around AI in education and inclusive digital practices — bringing both scholarly rigour and a passionate commitment to making AI education accessible to all. Shenny Tang, Head of Growth at Innov8 Labs, draws on over a decade of experience across e-commerce, subsea cable infrastructure, and digital transformation, and plays an active role in developing Brunei’s cybersecurity, AI, and tech talent pipeline. Saedah Haji Hasnal, a driving force behind Women Techmakers Brunei and Google Developer Group Brunei, has dedicated herself to creating inclusive spaces where girls can learn, grow, and lead in technology.
Together, these facilitators embodied the very message the programme sought to convey: that women belong at the forefront of AI and digital innovation — not on its periphery.
Through collaborative activities and a problem-solving challenge, students designed and presented their own AI-driven solutions to real-world issues, reinforcing creativity, teamwork, and applied learning in equal measure. The energy in the room was a testament to what becomes possible when young people are given the right tools, the right mentors, and the confidence to imagine a different future.
The initiative reflects UniAlumni’s commitment to fostering meaningful alumni engagement through knowledge-sharing and capacity-building — positioning UBD graduates as active contributors to Brunei Darussalam’s educational and economic development and demonstrating the vital role the university community plays in bridging education, industry, and future workforce readiness.
In alignment with AITI’s strategic objective to promote digital literacy and drive inclusive participation in ICT, this programme sends a clear signal: Brunei Darussalam’s future in the digital economy will be built by a diverse, empowered, and AI-literate generation — and that future starts now, in a classroom, with a student who just built her first machine learning model.
Alumni interested in contributing their expertise to future UniAlumni programmes across technology, innovation, leadership, and community engagement are encouraged to reach out at office.alumni@ubd.edu.bn.
