3DiscoverFEATUREBrunei DialogueUBD in collaboration with the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) organised the Brunei Dialogue themed “Transforming Universities on the Road to Research Excellence”. The workshop was held on 3 and 4 June 2013 at the Senate Room of the Chancellor Hall in UBD and was graced by His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik , who was present as the Personal Representative of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and Chancellor of UBD. His Royal Highness Prince ‘Abdul Malik also later consented to view the Art Gallery at Chancellor Hall as well as an exhibition on research work currently conducted at UBD including that on Brunei’s medicinal plants and on renewable energy.The dialogue sessions were facilitated by Dr Jamil Salmi, Global Tertiary Education Expert and Former World Bank’s tertiary education coordinator. Participants of the dialogues included Presidents, Vice Chancellors, Rectors as well as Secretaries-General from both Brunei Darussalam and international institutions. These included Loughborough University, Secretary General of the APRU, Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City, Mahidol University, Vietnam National University – Hanoi, The University of the South Pacific, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, Far Eastern Federal University, King Saud University, University of Nizwa, University of the Philippines, University of Malaya, Universiti Sains Malaysia, The World Islamic Science and Education University, Secretary General of Association of Arab Universities, The Royal University of Phnom Penh, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali, Kolej Universiti Perguruan Ugama Seri Begawan and Institut Teknologi Brunei.The primary objective of the dialogue is to provide an interactive learning platform for institutional leaders from the Asia Pacific and the Middle East interested in developing a vision and strategy for the transformation of their university, sharing experiences with their peers, and developing new collaborations across both regions. The concrete objectives include to analyse what it takes to establish world-class research universities; to highlight current issues and challenges faced by university leaders and explore the impact of global trends on universities in the Asia Pacific and the Middle East; and to understand the institutional and human dynamics of change and identify good practices in the design and implementation of transformation strategies.As part of the Brunei Dialogue, delegates were taken to visit the Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre (KBFSC) in the Temburong district, UBD’s main outdoor residential facility for biodiversity and environmental research. This visit was aimed at setting a foundation for further research collaborations among the Brunei Dialogue universities on the frontiers of Tropical Rainforest Biodiversity and Environment.
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