DISCOVER NEWS07Innovation & Enterprise: A Multidisciplinary EndeavourFrom 2015, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) embarked on a mission to be a “University of Innovation and Enterprise”, encouraging students to come up with innovative solutions that can be commercialised as part of realising the Government of Brunei Darussalam’s vision for 2035.In pursuing the development of a dynamic and sustainable economy, the successful translation of research into innovation and ultimately into enterprise requires the collaboration of different areas in addition to expertise. Following the success and recognition of UBD’s entries into the Crown Prince CIPTA (Creative, Innovative Product and Technological) award recently, Dr Hajah Asmah Haji Husaini from PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences (IHS) shared that her experience in the competition was a testament to the amount of work and time necessary to fully realise an innovative idea.Earlier efforts by her students were ambitious but initial prototypes of the VEPO Device and Medbaind sent them back to the drawing board as they found that their expertise in Health Sciences alone was not sufficient. Their team needed to be bigger and better equipped to deliver the solution that they have envisioned. Following a discussion of ideas with students from the Faculty of Integrated Technologies (FIT), the teams continued to knock on doors, networking with representatives from the Centre for Advanced Materials and Energy Studies (CAMES), Entrepreneurship Village, Office of Research and Innovation, Office of Innovation and Enterprise, FIT and the Ministry of Health.Dr Hajah Asmah pointed out that for a good idea to eventually become a great product, potentialUBD instills the entrepreneurial mindset through its modules, programmes and even during Discovery Year where students have the option to undergo Incubation in their third year. Photo: Entrepreneurship Village
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