BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – Sixty-nine percent of Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) graduates from the class of 2022 have already secured employment just three months after graduation, the UTB vice chancellor said Monday.
Speaking at UTB’s 10th convocation, Datin Paduka Professor Dr Dayang Hjh Zohrah Hj Sulaiman said the close relationship between the university, industry leaders, as well as programme recognition from accreditation bodies has given graduates a competitive advantage.
The direct impact of the university’s employment programmes can be measured by students’ marketability upon graduation, she said.
“[Graduates’] exposure to potential employers begins as early as their placement through UTB ExperiencePLUS.
“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the respective agencies for their solid support to UTB. They are… involved in providing ideas for UTB programmes so that it is relevant to industry needs and the country’s needs,” the vice-chancellor said.
Among UTB’s past three cohorts, 72% of graduates have been able to find a job within six months of graduating.
The university has produced a total of 2,955 graduates from 46 degree programmes over the past 10 years.
To make its degree programmes more attractive to potential students, UTB also reduced the duration of study for its Bachelor of Sciences (Honours) degree from four to three years.
The vice-chancellor said the move had increased the number of students admitted to the School of Applied Science and Mathematics, as well as applications for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Food Science and Technology.
This year, a total of 381 graduates were awarded degrees in Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes including the first ever graduates from programmes in computer networking, information security, product design, and civil engineering.
Speaking at the convocation, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah praised the university’s research efforts in vertical rice farming, a collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Agrifood that utilises Internet of Things (IoT).
UTB currently ranks 5th among engineering and technology universities in Southeast Asia, according to the QS World University Rankings.
This is proof that UTB is able to compete in the region despite being a young [university], the monarch said.
UTB currently ranks 340 in the QS World University Rankings, 85th for all universities in Asia and 16th with Southeast Asia.
The university will also begin to offer postgraduate micro-credentials for the 2022-2023 academic year, targeted at working professionals and recent graduates.
The programme is described as a “personalised learner’s journey”, where students can receive a diploma certificate or master’s degree within a flexible period of time.