IGS COLLEGE SPECIAL AWARD (RTB)

Determination and courage to achieve academic qualifications inspired three International Graduate Studies, I-G-S College students in clinching the Best Student Award and Special Award. The I-G-S College Special Award was given to excellent and exemplary students throughout the course of their studies despite the various challenges they faced.

The I-G-S College Mentor Award recipient was Awang Haji Mohammad Zulhilmi bin Haji Zaini. The Award was for good academic achievement and contributed firm leadership to the College.

Courtesy of RTB

BRUNEI SHOULD AIM TO BE COMPETITVE (BT)

by Sharleen Othman

'To be a place of choice' for investments, high standards of living

BRUNEI should strive to be a competitive nation and a centre for international activities, Minister of Communications, Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdullah, said yesterday.

"If we are a competitive nation, then Brunei will be a place of choice, a place where others are keen to invest and we would have high standards of living and high availability of jobs," Pehin Dato Hj Abdullah told The Brunei Times.

Present as guest of honour at the International Graduate Studies College (IGS College) Brunei convocation, the minister said good communication links are necessary in achieving such goals.

"Basically we want to make Brunei a centre of things," he said.

Following a signing on April 28 with Malaysian company Booz & Co Sdn Bhd, a 13-week study will be conducted on Brunei's transportation and logistics system. The study is aimed at possibly creating Brunei as a logistics hub in the region.

"We want people to come and go from Brunei and conduct businesses in Brunei," adding, any cooperation from neighbouring countries to achieve this vision is welcomed.

The minister aspires for Brunei to have good transport and communications links. "Good internal transport links are prerequisite to facilitate and promote economic and social activities locally while international transport links are indispensable to the economic development, logistics and trade activities," he said.

Pehin Dato Hj Abdullah further said that Brunei was currently lacking behind in terms of advancements in ICT as compared to other countries. "We are looking at ways to make access better by cooperating with other agencies."

He said that good communications, especially telecommunications, were a must in this digital era, adding that such links are "the lifeblood of trade, transaction and banking and other economic activities."

The Brunei Times

IGS COLLEGE GRADUATES 84 STUDENTS (BT)

A TOTAL of 84 students of International Graduate Studies College (IGS College) Brunei yesterday received their graduation certificates during the college's fourth convocation.

Donned in red, black and grey graduation gowns, 26 students received certificates for Higher National Diploma (HND), 23 graduated with National Diploma (ND) and 35 graduated with Pre-National Diploma (PND).

Yesterday's event at the IGS College Main Hall also marked the first convocation for the first intake of part-time students in the college.

"Since IGS College first opened her doors in 2004, the college had awarded diplomas and certificates to 168 students and today will bring the number up to 252 graduates," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of IGS College Pg Hjh Fatimah PSJ Pg Hj Abd Momin.

She expressed the college's ambitions to provide other programmes such as multi-media, design and other courses besides IT and business fields, in light of global challenges and technological advancement.

Pg Hjh Fatimah said she hopes IGS College graduates are able to contribute to the skilled manpower needed for Brunei's development.

Three special awards were handed out to the graduates yesterday. Al Farhana Bahrom Affendy who had achieved 12 distinctions and three merits during her time at college was given the Best Student Award.

Hj Md Zulhilmi Hj Zaidin, also the student body president, was presented with the Student Mentor Award for his outstanding contribution to college activities.

Part-time student, Izzah Batricia Abdullah Luin @ Patricia Luin, received the Special Mention Award for her excellent academic accomplishments despite having to commute from Belait for night classes after work.

Present to hand over the awards and graduation certificates was Minister of Communications Pehin Orang Kaya Hamzah Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Hj Abdullah.

This year, IGS College Brunei became the first private college in the Sultanate to provide full degree programs. On April 11, IGS College launched two degree programmes in Information Technology and Business Administration (Hons), where 75 full-time students enrolled.

The event ended with a photo session to commemorate the ceremony, whilst many stayed behind to enjoy refreshments with departing college mates and lecturers.

The Brunei Times

LIMKOKWING, KOLEJ IGS FORGE PARTNERSHIP (BORNEO POST)

Kolej IGS Brunei Darussalam (Brunei’s International Graduate Studies College) became the first private college in Brunei to launch a batch of full degree programmes. The four programmes are licensed degrees from the Limkokwing University.

The degree programmes were officially launched on April 11 by Brunei’s Deputy Minister of Education Dato Seri Setia Awg Yussof Ismail. He pointed out that this partnership reflects the existing friendly relations between Brunei and Malaysia.

Kolej IGS is the first private college in Brunei to introduce full three-year Bachelor’s degree programmes. Awg Yussof said the partnership is testimony to the fact that the private sector is “more than able to assist the government in achieving its Vision 2035.”

Brunei’s Vision aims to develop a sultanate that is recognised for the accomplishments of its well-educated and highly skilled populace.

Representing Limkokwing University was its vice-president Datuk Fajura Juffa Mohd Mustaffa Kamal.

Speaking on behalf of the university’s president Tan Sri Datuk Seri (Dr) Lim Kok Wing, she said: “Any endeavour we embark on, our brand of creative and innovative education is to contribute and support the vision and mission of the country we are in, to build the kind of human capital the country needs for its future.”

Kolej IGS and Limkokwing University formalised the partnership in March this year at the Limkokwing Cyberjaya campus. All the programmes that will be offered have been accredited by the Brunei Darussalam National Accreditation Council (BDNAC). The four Limkokwing’s degrees that are offered by Kolej IGS are Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons), Bachelor of Business (Hons) Accounting, Bachelor of Science (Hons) Information Technology and Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Software Engineering with Multimedia.

On April 11, 63 students registered at the college’s premises in Setia Kenangan Complex Kiulap. Two of the four programmes were offered at the time – 27 students enrolled for Business Administration while 36 students took Software Engineering with Multimedia.

By September, the new intake will include all four programmes.

Whatever programmes the students choose, they have two options – day or evening classes.

The morning sessions cater to those below the age of 25 who want an undergraduate degree before seeking employment. The evening classes are for students who are already working and typically aged between 23 and 40 years old.

The Kolej IGS students will also have the option of doing part of their studies in any of Limkokwing’s foreign campuses under the Global Experience programme. Through this programme, they can do two weeks or one semester at one of the campuses in London, Bali, Cambodia, Beijing or Kuching.

The most popular Global Experience campus is in London. Situated in a heritage building in the vibrant business hub of Piccadilly, Limkokwing University earned the distinction of being the first Asian university to open a campus in the heart of one of Europe’s most dynamic cities.

The Global Experience involves students attending industry-related events as well as talks by industry experts in
their respective field of studies.

Kolej IGS is a private college that was launched in 2004 in Brunei Darussalam.

Up to now, it has been offering Pre-National Diplomas, National Diplomas and Higher National Diplomas
in IT, Business and Finance.

As of April this year, the college was the first private institution of the Sultanate to offer full bachelor’s degree programmes. These degrees in IT and Business are licensed by Limkokwing University.

Kolej IGS is now part of Limkokwing’s network of licensee partners.

Courtesy of Borneo Post