By Nurdiyanah R. –
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, NOV 21 – Seri Begawan University College of Religion (KUPU SB) has implemented several updates to ensure it has a clearer direction in addition to making more focused plans in the future.
From the aspect of strengthening the academic structure, KUPU SB has rebranded several centers, merged several existing faculties, and established new centers or units.
The initiative was carried out to deal with the problem of overlapping areas of expertise, waste of human resources, time and money, in addition to being expected to develop new knowledge in KUPU SB in particular and contribute to the development of the country in general.
As a result of these reforms, today, KUPU SB has three faculties, seven centers of academic excellence, and nine centers, offices, divisions and management and service units.
The matter in question is one of the latest efforts and developments shared by KUPU SB President, Associate Professor Dr Abdul Nasir bin Haji Abdul Rani while delivering a welcome prayer at the 14th KUPU SB Convocation Ceremony held at the Plenary Hall, International Conference Center (ICC). , Berakas, this morning.
“On this occasion, His Royal Highness Tuan Patik on behalf of all the people of KUPU SB join hands to show their love for the gift of His Royal Highness Tuan Patik’s Government for the implementation of the construction of the new academic block. “With the existence of the block, it will certainly be an important vehicle in realizing the future plans of KUPU SB and raising its image as a leading religious university in Brunei Darussalam as desired by His Royal Highness Tuan Patik,” he explained.
Earlier, Associate Professor Dr Abdul Nasir among others explained from the management and administration aspects, KUPU SB has already updated its vision, mission, and objectives and has taken steps to reorganize its administrative organizational structure with a more efficient and orderly distribution of tasks.
In the meantime, Associate Professor Dr Abdul Nasir also shared that all academic programs and the new program structure offered by KUPU SB have already been confirmed by the National Council for the Recognition of Graduation (MKPK), Brunei Darussalam.
He added that KUPU SB continues to advance to the next level when faced with the new structure of the Religious Teaching Bachelor’s Degree Program, for the purpose of evaluation to obtain international standard curriculum recognition from AsTEN Teachers Education Quality Assurance Agency (ATQA) under the auspices of the Southeast Asian Teacher Education Network Association (AsTEN), which is an ASEAN accredited entity.
“In addition to getting recognition, the accreditation of this program also aims to identify the weaknesses and shortcomings of the academic program at KUPU SB so that it can be improved until it reaches the standards set at the international level to guarantee the output of KUPU SB graduates who have the knowledge and skills to meet national and global needs,” he stressed. .
Associate Professor Dr Abdul Nasir also said that the Religious Education Bachelor’s Degree Program had been recognized by ATQA on 18 November 2024.
This latest achievement is an initial achievement that can be proud of because the KUPU SB Religious Teaching Bachelor’s Degree Program is the first teaching program to be recognized among nine other AsTEN members who also provide similar teaching programs.
In addition, he also emphasized that academic quality is not only focused on the programs and courses offered, but also the quality of the academic staff of KUPU SB itself, that is by enforcing the evaluation of the Academic Staff Service Scheme, Public Higher Education Institutions (SPTA) more seriously which gives focus on competence in aspects of teaching and learning; research and publication; consultation and community service.
“Until today, 64 percent of the academic staff of KUPU SB have already been absorbed into SPTA. It is expected that the performance of this percentage will continue to increase in the coming years,” he explained.
In order to ensure the welfare and well-being of KUPU SB citizens are always awake and monitored continuously and systematically, Associate Professor Dr Abdul Nasir also shared that on August 1, KUPU SB has launched an application called the KUPU SB Help Desk or KUPU SB Help Desk.
In expanding the cooperation network of KUPU SB with institutions and stakeholders which is relevant, since last March 2024 until now, KUPU SB has already signed four memorandums of understanding (MoU) with foreign higher education institutions including Hadramout University, Yemen, a first Middle Eastern university that intends to cooperate with KUPU SB in the field of strengthening Arabic language.
“God willing, as many as five more MoUs will be signed with institutions from abroad at the KUPU SB 2024 Graduate Night Ceremony which will be held tonight, making the total number of MoUs 37 that are still active,” he added.