Bandar Seri Begawan - Twenty undergraduate students of Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) - 10 from Chemical Engineering and the other 10 following the Petroleum Engineering course programme - enrolled in the Petroleum Engineering and Chemical Engineering (PCE) Articulation Degree Programmes in August 2009.
And in July last year, the first batch of ITB undergraduates left for the University of New South Wales (UNSW), Australia to pursue their second year of study at the university.
The PCE Articulation Degree Programmes were two of the new degree programmes that were inducted at ITB in 2009, following the institution's upgrade to university status in October 18, 2008.
The PCE programmes are 1+3 articulation degree programmes run in partnership with UNSW.
These were disclosed by the Vice Chancellor of ITB, Dato Paduka Dr Hj Omar Hj Khalid in his welcoming remarks at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) between ITB and UNSW yesterday.
According to the vice chancellor, ITB has now expanded the student enrollment numbers to 20 for each programme in the 2011/2012 academic session, with the possibility of further expanding the number to 30 for the next session.
"We are proud to be partners with the UNSW and this important relationship is something that we value," said Dato Dr Hj Omar.
"We also appreciate the assistance that UNSW has provided to ITB so far, that has ensured the successful running of the articulation degree programmes."
He said that the signing of the MoA yesterday was a strong indication of the strengthening of ties between the two institutions.
He looked forward to future collaborations in areas that would mutually benefit both parties.
The vice chancellor in his speech also touched on the infrastructure development of the university, saying that the ITB Phase 3 Project has begun and site preparations are now well under way.
The project is expected to be completed by the end of next year.
The project includes the provision of new Petroleum and Chemical Engineering Laboratories, a library and lecture theatres, among other facilities.
The vice chancellor also thanked Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd and Shell Exploration and Production International Limited (Singapore Branch) for the annual funding and the various forms of support rendered since the introduction of the two programmes.
"These have undoubtedly provided significant momentum to the development of the programmes, and the links with BSP and Shell International will provide tangible benefits to all stakeholders concerned," Dato Dr Hj Omar added.
"We are indeed very fortunate and appreciative for the strong support of the Ministry of Education in ensuring the sustainable development of ITB and its programmes, encouraging ITB from the very beginning of its inception to this present time and moulding it into a major player in Human Resources Development of the country."
Meanwhile, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at UNSW, Prof Graham Davies expressed appreciation on the existing cooperation with ITB and hoped that it would continue to be upgraded not only on the engineering field but also in other fields of mutual interest.
He also expressed hope that such cooperation will not only be limited to just degree programmes but also extended to Masters and Doctoral level programmes.
He added that he was ready to work closely with ITB to realise that hope.
Prof Davies also described a new building project on the UNSW campus that is nearing completion, and said that the university's Energy Technology building will be completed next year.
The building, which is tipped to have a six-star efficiency rating, will house new facilities for Petroleum Engineering, a key feature that could attract more Brunei students to UNSW. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin
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