Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), through Office of University Alumni (UniALUMNI), convened the second session of Coffee with the Vice-Chancellor: Alumni Series, bringing together a new group of UBD alumni for an intimate dialogue with the Vice-Chancellor, Dr Hazri Haji Kifle.
The session gathered 10 alumni from diverse professional backgrounds, including education, banking, human resources, media and creative industries, geoscience, counselling, entrepreneurship, data science, community development, and the arts. Representing graduation years from 2011 to 2024, the alumni shared reflections on their UBD journey, career pathways, and the skills and experiences that have shaped their contributions across sectors.
The small-group format encouraged open and meaningful conversations, allowing alumni to exchange perspectives on professional growth, youth development, employability, creativity, innovation, and the evolving needs of Brunei Darussalam’s workforce. Their stories highlighted the breadth of UBD alumni impact, from grassroots community empowerment and inclusive education to financial crime surveillance, creative production, data-driven energy solutions, and social entrepreneurship.
During the engagement, the Vice-Chancellor also invited alumni to share industry insights in support of GenBESTARI, the reformed UBD curriculum to be rolled out in September. It seeks to strengthen the preparation of UBD graduates by incorporating greater industry perspectives into the university’s curriculum and student development ecosystem. The invited alumni were encouraged to share practical insights from their respective sectors, including emerging skills required by employers, gaps between academic preparation and workplace expectations, and opportunities for closer university-industry collaboration.
The discussion reaffirmed the important role of alumni as strategic partners in shaping future-ready graduates. By drawing on the lived experiences of graduates across different industries, UBD aims to ensure that its academic offerings, co-curricular experiences, and graduate development initiatives remain responsive to national priorities and the demands of a rapidly changing professional landscape.
Coffee with the Vice-Chancellor: Alumni Series forms part of UBD’s broader Journeying Futures initiative, a platform that highlights alumni narratives through storytelling, podcasts, leadership sessions, and professional dialogue. The initiative aims to strengthen alumni identity, visibility, and connection to the university while showcasing the many ways UBD graduates continue to contribute to society, industry, and nation-building.
Journeying Futures consists of three interlinked components:
Alumni Life Journeys celebrates personal and professional stories that reflect UBD’s values in knowledge, service, resilience, and contribution to the nation.
Alumni Business Journeys features alumni entrepreneurs and innovators, highlighting their ventures, challenges, and achievements while promoting alumni-owned enterprises and UBD’s role in supporting economic development.
Coffee with VC: Alumni Series provides a platform for alumni to engage directly with university leadership, share professional insights, and contribute meaningfully to UBD’s continued growth and strategic direction.
As part of Journeying Futures, alumni stories and related content are shared through UBD Alumni Instagram @UBDAlumni, LinkedIn UBD Alumni, and the UBD YouTube channel @UniversitiBruneiDarussalam.
Alumni interested in participating in future sessions or contributing to alumni engagement and curriculum-related initiatives are encouraged to contact UniALUMNI at alumni.office@ubd.edu.bn.
Contact Information:
UniALUMNI
Universiti Brunei Darussalam
Email: alumni.office@ubd.edu.bn