Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) hosted the fourth edition of TEDxUniversitiBruneiDarussalam (TEDxUBD) on 19th September 2026 at the Pro-Chancellor Arts Centre (PCAC), bringing together approximately 300 guests for an evening of ideas, stories, and conversations centred on this year’s theme, “Change”.
Organised by the Office of Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovation and Sustainability, OAVCRIS), TEDxUBD 2026 marked an expansion of the event, welcoming a larger audience and a diverse line-up of speakers from different generations, professions, and backgrounds.
The seven speakers explored the many dimensions of change, offering perspectives that challenged assumptions, encouraged reflection, and highlighted the courage required to transform.
Dr Mayyer Ling, an educator passionate about learning and student development, explored how embracing different perspectives can challenge assumptions and reshape how we see the world. At just 16 years old, youth advocate and public speaker Sheryn Sek challenged audiences to reconsider whether age should determine the value of a person’s voice. Public speaker and trainer Allen Ang reflected on the quiet, often unseen growth that takes place long before achievements become visible.
Drawing on his background in chemistry, Dr Haji Abdul Hanif Dato Paduka Haji Mahadi used catalysis as a metaphor for transformation, showing how small, intentional interventions can create the conditions for meaningful change. Human Resource practitioner and people leader Melina Jaini examined the human side of organisational transformation, highlighting how people experience and navigate change at different speeds.
Published author, social entrepreneur and creative counsellor Tina Afiqah shared her personal journey of navigating severe social anxiety and finding ways to live authentically alongside fear. Closing the lineup, Chartered Accountant and finance professional Cornelius Yee reflected on the personal dimensions of organisational transformation and who we choose to become when faced with change.
Together, the seven speakers showed that change can begin with a shift in perspective, unfold through personal growth, or emerge through the courage to act, reminding audiences that change is not simply something that happens to us, but something we can shape.
TEDxUBD 2026 also introduced the ‘Bestari Package’, an initiative that enabled members of the community to sponsor complimentary tickets to 50 secondary and pre-university students. The initiative aimed to make the TEDx experience more accessible to young students, giving them the opportunity to encounter new ideas, perspectives, and stories beyond the classroom.
In conjunction with TEDxUBD 2026, OAVCRIS also organised ‘Day of Ideas 2026’, a full-day event held on 17th September 2026 as part of its efforts to increase engagement with the UBD community. The Day of Ideas featured a public speaking workshop, “How to Tell Your Ideas as a Story”, led by Dr Pooja Shivanand, and a TEDxAlumni speaker panel, “From Spark to Stage”, which brought together past TEDxUBD speakers for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the journey of developing and delivering a talk.
With its expanded audience, diverse speakers, and new opportunities for greater accessibility, TEDxUBD 2026 demonstrated that meaningful change can begin in many ways: through a conversation, a different perspective, a small action, or simply the courage to take the first step.