CEBU CITY, 1st JULY 2026 – Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) has officially become a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Teacher Education Network (AsTEN) through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between UBD and AsTEN. The signing ceremony took place at the dinner reception for the 21st Meeting of Presidents AsTEN, held on 1st July 2026 in Cebu City, Republic of the Philippines.
Representing UBD, Professor Dr Haji Noor Azam Orang Kaya Maha Bijaya Haji Othman, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, signed the MoU on behalf of the University, while Professor Dr Ngo Thi Phuong Lan, Chairperson of AsTEN, signed on behalf of the network. The signing officially welcomed UBD into AsTEN alongside four other institutions: Cebu Normal University, Leyte Normal University, West Visayas State University, and Hanoi National University of Education.
AsTEN is a regional network of teacher education institutions across ASEAN established to address issues and challenges relating to teacher education programmes, practices, and policies within the region. Membership in the network is expected to strengthen the professional development of educators, promote collaboration in educational research and innovation, and further enrich the teacher education ecosystem across ASEAN.
Commenting on the significance of the membership, Professor Dr Haji Noor Azam said, “Joining AsTEN marks an important step in strengthening UBD’s regional engagement in teacher education and teacher quality. This membership will create new opportunities for collaboration in research, innovation and academic exchange, while reinforcing our commitment to developing future-ready educators who can contribute to the advancement of education in Brunei Darussalam and the ASEAN region.”
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Associate Professor Dr Abdul Nasir Haji Abdul Rani, Ra’es of KUPU SB, in his capacity as the Deputy Chairman of AsTEN, Dr Hajah Hardimah Haji Md Said, Dean of the UBD Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Institute of Education (SHBIE) and Associate Professor John Carlos M. Ramos, Executive Director of the AsTEN Secretariat.
UBD’s participation as a new member of AsTEN reflects the university’s commitment through SHBIE to strengthening teacher education by fostering regional partnerships, promoting collaborative research, and supporting innovation in educational practice. The membership further reinforces UBD’s internationalisation agenda and its active contribution to advancing educational excellence within the ASEAN higher education community.