BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

AS Brunei is gearing up to revolutionise its higher education system, with the expected launching of the Higher Education National Strategic Plan next year (2015), one of its higher educational institutions became part of the ASEAN International Mobility for Students (AIMS) programme this year.

Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) now joined UBD as part of the ASEAN International Mobility for Students (AIMS) Programme.

ITB participation in the programme was nominated by the Ministry of Education.

Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation Regional Centre for Higher Education and Development (SEAMEO RIHED) Minister of Education, YB Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Hj Awg Abu Bakar Hj Apong is also keen to see Brunei’s Islamic university, Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (UNISSA) to participate when there are applicable themes within the programme for them to part-take.

The Minister said this in his speech at the opening ceremony of the Eight Review Meeting of the ASEAN International Mobility for Students (AIMS) Programme at Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa’adatul Bolkiah, Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam.

The two-day meeting is co-hosted by UBD and Higher Education, Ministry of Education and supported by SEAMEO RIHED.

AIMS’s objective is to create a vibrant student mobility programme for citizens of all SEAMEO member countries.

In 2014, 60 universities participated in the SEAMEO RIHED AIMS programme. AIMS, or the ASEAN International Mobility for Students Programme, said the minister, is a key strategic element of cooperation leading to the development of this harmonised higher education environment in ASEAN, in turn to achieving an open space for higher education.

In 2014, AIMS surpassed a milestone, with over 700 students from 60 ASEAN universities participated in this exchange programme, including 11 universities from Japan. The number was beyond the expected numbers of 500 students that was set for 2015.

While achieving such progress, it is crucial to reflect on the achievement of our true objectives, said the minister.

“We need to evaluate how successful we have been in creating innovative networks through higher education environs in catalysing economic integration. Ultimately, all our initiatives should take us closer to creating a strong ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015,” he said.

Speaking of ASEAN, the minister said higher education is an essential connecting piece to strengthening ASEAN.

The opening ceremony was attended by Associate Professor Kamjorn Tatiyakavee, Secretary General, Office of Higher Education Commission, Ministry of Education, Thailand and the chairperson of SEAMEO RIHED Board of Governors; Permanent Secretary Higher Education and Vice Chancellor of UBD, Dato Dr Zulkarnain Hanafi as well as Dr Chantavit Sujatanond, Special Advisor to SEAMEO RIHED and Thailand ambassador to Brunei, Apichart Phetcharatana.

The Brunei Times