Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam - A Delegation from the Indonesian Teachers Association (PGRI) of Kota Pontianak paid a visit to Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali (Unissa) to exchange ideas and knowledge of Malay language and culture in the Sultanate.
Leading the delegation was Dr Andas Hatta Abdul Haji, chief of PGRI Kota Pontianak, who said that although both countries' culture and language were similar, better understanding on both aspects could be further enhanced through the visit.
He also said that another objective of the visit was to study the development of culture, language and literature in Brunei.
The PGRI delegation was made up of 55 members and accompanied by 10 committee members of the Brunei Malay Teachers Association (PGGMB), the organiser of the visit. The delegation was presented with a short clip of Unissa's background and its main functions and roles.
It is hoped that the visit would strengthen ties between both countries and further develop both institutions in the academic field.
There are currently more than 400 students at Unissa, including 34 international students from various countries.
The university is made up of seven faculties, including Faculty of Arabic Language and Islamic Civilisation, Faculty of Usuluddin, Faculty of Shariah and Law, Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Centre for Promotion of Knowledge and Languages Learning, Maddhab Shafi'i Research Centre and Centre for Postgraduate Studies and Research.
The university also boasts an academic workforce of 71 individuals, 36 of which are locals while the remaining 35 are experts from countries such as Egypt, Malaysia, Sudan, Indonesia, Yemen, Jordan, India, Sri Lanka, Algeria and Kosovo.
The members of PGRI , which totals 2.9 million, consist of Indonesian teachers and other educators who are volunteering at the non-profit organisation.
Welcoming the delegation was Acting Registrar at Unissa Hj Sulaiman Hj Latip.-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times
Source: http://www.brudirect.com
