Factors impeding students' research raised in meeting
Khairunnisa Ibrahim
LONDON
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
PROBLEMS in accessing resources and data on Brunei for academic work was a major issue raised at the first Brunei Postgraduate Symposium in London, United Kingdom last Saturday.
Long delays in getting responses from relevant agencies and outdated information on official websites were some factors that local students studying in the UK said impeded their research on the Sultanate.
Other research-related issues put forward at the symposium included the unavailability of Bruneian journals and publications online, and the lack of an information bank on research done on the country by local and foreign academics, which could serve as a resource for future students and help avoid redundancy in research.
About 50 people attended the symposium, which saw 10 Bruneian postgraduates sharing their research work and proposals with the audience.
Divided into three separate panels on education, national identity and public policy, the topics ranged from inclusive education, architecture and obesity to e-government and transport studies, among others.
Also featured were three top officials from Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (Unissa) and Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB), who spoke about the significance of research and how it is conducted at their respective institutions.
UBD's Vice-Chancellor Dr Hj Zulkarnain Hamzah, Dr Hj Yusop Hj Damit, the deputy rector of Unissa and ITB's Dr Hj Supry Hj Ladi in their respective keynote speeches touched several common themes: growing recognition that research can positively contribute to national development, incentives for local students and staff to undertake more research and the need for constructive application of research findings.
The symposium was an eye-opener for Siti Munawwarah Awang Tarif, who said getting a glimpse of other students' research work was informative and thought-provoking.
"Seeing other people's work and perspectives in various disciplines opened up ideas for me," said the Masters in International Health student, and hoped that the symposium would become a regular event.
Hazwan Azri, a PhD student in Chemical Engineering, agreed, but hoped future symposiums would also include research on science and technology.
Sponsored by the Brunei Students Unit and organised by representatives from the Brunei Students' Union, the one-day event was held at the Brunei Hall of the School of Oriental and Asian Studies at the University of London.
The Brunei Times
Showing posts with label research. Show all posts
Showing posts with label research. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
'Use research to draw up policies'
'Use research to draw up policies'
Forum: Participants at the Seameo Voctech forum, which looks at the best practices in institutional research. Picture: Courtesy of Seameo Voctech
Qistina Rangga
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
WITH more than half the wealth of the world's most advanced industrial societies derived from knowledge capital, there is a renewed emphasis in Southeast Asia to develop knowledge-based societies.
However, to do so, a nation's policies and practices should be based on research and not merely on intuition.
This was said by deputy director (Professional) cum research manager at the Seameo Voctech, Dr Paryono in his welcoming remarks at the half-day forum on "Institutional Research: Sharing Best Practices".
"Much data and information around us could be analysed, interpreted and informed to policymakers and practitioners," he said. "It can only be accomplished by rigorous research activities, knowledge management and information sharing." He argued that without research and development, the people of Brunei "will be just users, not innovators or creators".
Dr Paryono learned during previous meetings with other Seameo Voctech members that in Southeast Asia, there is a lack of research activities, management and sharing. "Much of the research findings cannot be accessed by others due to limited networking and limited shared database," he said.
The forum was thus aimed to initiate and nurture institutional research among representatives from various schools and colleges and the Ministry of Education. It was also attended by 19 representatives from the 10 Seameo Voctech member countries.
Dr Paryono said that Seameo Voctech is in the process of compiling research information in online database that can be accessed by anyone.
At the forum, two local lecturers Dr Gilbert Fung Chai Wing of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam and Dr Hj Supry Hj Awg Ladi of the Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) shared their respective institute's best practices, particularly in the conduct of institutional research.
One of the presentations by Dr Hj Supry was about ITB's research initiatives through its research and development (R&D) activities such as the first Brunei International Conference on Engineering and Technology and CIPTA award competition.
These activities, through the establishment of R&D Unit in the Department of Civil Engineering in 2001, help promote research skills in their students. The institute also focuses on marketable activities, as noted by the forum's moderator, Punang Amaripuja. "In the case of the CIPTA award, new products, processes or technologies are created, which attract local and international companies," he said.
The Brunei Times
Forum: Participants at the Seameo Voctech forum, which looks at the best practices in institutional research. Picture: Courtesy of Seameo Voctech
Qistina Rangga
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
WITH more than half the wealth of the world's most advanced industrial societies derived from knowledge capital, there is a renewed emphasis in Southeast Asia to develop knowledge-based societies.
However, to do so, a nation's policies and practices should be based on research and not merely on intuition.
This was said by deputy director (Professional) cum research manager at the Seameo Voctech, Dr Paryono in his welcoming remarks at the half-day forum on "Institutional Research: Sharing Best Practices".
"Much data and information around us could be analysed, interpreted and informed to policymakers and practitioners," he said. "It can only be accomplished by rigorous research activities, knowledge management and information sharing." He argued that without research and development, the people of Brunei "will be just users, not innovators or creators".
Dr Paryono learned during previous meetings with other Seameo Voctech members that in Southeast Asia, there is a lack of research activities, management and sharing. "Much of the research findings cannot be accessed by others due to limited networking and limited shared database," he said.
The forum was thus aimed to initiate and nurture institutional research among representatives from various schools and colleges and the Ministry of Education. It was also attended by 19 representatives from the 10 Seameo Voctech member countries.
Dr Paryono said that Seameo Voctech is in the process of compiling research information in online database that can be accessed by anyone.
At the forum, two local lecturers Dr Gilbert Fung Chai Wing of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam and Dr Hj Supry Hj Awg Ladi of the Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB) shared their respective institute's best practices, particularly in the conduct of institutional research.
One of the presentations by Dr Hj Supry was about ITB's research initiatives through its research and development (R&D) activities such as the first Brunei International Conference on Engineering and Technology and CIPTA award competition.
These activities, through the establishment of R&D Unit in the Department of Civil Engineering in 2001, help promote research skills in their students. The institute also focuses on marketable activities, as noted by the forum's moderator, Punang Amaripuja. "In the case of the CIPTA award, new products, processes or technologies are created, which attract local and international companies," he said.
The Brunei Times
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