Bandar Seri Begawan - Baku, Azerbaijan - Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Dato Setia Han Mohamed Taib, Minister of Education, outlined Brunei`s strategic education plans at the 4th Islamic Conference of Ministers of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
"University Brunei Darussalam will be turned into a major national research institution in the next five years by building its capacity and capability-, including its human expertise. UBD Brunei`s first university started as a teaching university and has just completed its 20th anniversary.
"The major challenges for the Ministry of Education are on finding ways to accelerate and gear this university as well as our other higher institutions into major drivers of national and sustainable developments, particularly in the sciences and technology, in an economy that is increasingly becoming knowledge-based.
"The government aims to expand the capacity of Brunei`s technical and vocational institutions within the next five years and develop a polytechnic that can provide skilled manpower needed for economic development.
"In the present Five-Year Development Plan, there is a substantial increase in science and technology research funding for bidding by our higher education institutions," the minister said.
The conference was organized jointly by ISESCO and the government of Azerbaijan, according to a press release, around the theme "Bringing Change Through Scientific Youth Force".
It aimed to develop strategies that foster the vital role of universities in science and technology research and their contribution towards driving economies, development of industries, fostering job creation and improving the quality of life. It began with the ISESCO Prizes Award to Science Laureates in the Islamic world.
The conference was attended by 138 delegates comprising of ministers and senior representatives from 57 member countries and 17 international organizations.
The ministers discussed promoting more universities in member countries to become among the top 500 world universities. There were proposals for selecting 20 universities and nurturing them to be in that league and turning them into models for others to follow.
Other topics of collaboration included a project on an atlas of Islamic world innovation; modes of functions of an Islamic Citation Centre; strategies for promoting science, technology, innovation and implementing mechanism in Islamic countries; and the creation of a network of women scientists in OTC member states.
The ministers also gave guidance and directions to the Director-General on the future implementation of the organization`s activities, particularly on the transformation of economies into knowledge based. They considered the experts` proposals and presentations on globalization and knowledge as an economic driver in the Islamic countries, the impact of the existing relation between knowledge and economic and social development, especially in the field of human resources, information and communication technologies, establishment of micro-and-medium projects, and cooperation between the public and private sectors.
In the session on strategies on higher education and scientific research, the ministers reported and highlighted their national strategies and efforts. Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Lela Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman bin Dato Setia Awang Haji Mohamed Taib informed the ministers on Brunei`s effort in transforming its education landscape, including building the quality and capacity of its post secondary sector.
Some of the country`s strategic education plans, according to the minister, included:
(1) The strengthening of cooperation in higher education in a number of ways, including forging strategic partnerships within Brunei and outside with ISESCO member countries, Unesco and SEAMED. Ways have to be found for small countries like Brunei; through partnerships, regional collaborations with the ISESCO or other international organizations, including exchanges, resource sharing, and joint programmed, to gain access to resources and expertise that are not normally available nationally.
(2) Internationalizing its national higher education institutions as alternative route of enhancing collaborations, where foreign students have access to quality programmed. Here, partnerships can help enhance the quality and profile of programmed provided by participating institutions. Maybe with a multiflow of students between ISESCO member states, Europe and within Asia, countries like Brunei would be able to collaborate with partners to mount niche programmed and joint research in its national higher education institutions. This would enhance regional development and cooperation in capacity building.
(3) Embarking on education reforms, beginning with a new education system that will be implemented iii2009. Part of these reforms involves greater access, flexibility and transformation of the higher education landscape. The commitment to Bruneians to work towards enhancing their quality of life through the provision of a quality education that gives them the necessary skills and knowledge to participate in and contribute to their well-being and the development of the country. The aim is to prepare programmed and services that assist citizens at various stages of their lives as part of a cycle of lifelong education to ensure that their knowledge and skills remain current and relevant to changes in the workplace.
(4) Part of that plan is to substantially increase the proportion of student cohorts entering universities in one decade with a majority taking the technical and vocational route. Changes will include a unified national education system with multiple pathways to further and higher education, broader based curriculum, new standards, greater outlay of financial and human resources, higher education reforms and the re-orientation to outcomes-based education.
The conference closed with the resolution to:
Proclaiming the Year 2009 as the year for renewal and innovation in OIC member states.
Calling upon member states to channel economic mechanisms and production means into the knowledge base and to strengthen the scientific and scholarly foundations of development structures in general. The assembly urged universities, scientific research centers, specialized scientific bodies, the private sector and donors to develop partnership and cooperation to exchange expertise and activate the knowledge dimensions in the economic fields.
Adopting the modes and functions of an Islamic Citation Centre (ISC)
Adopting a strategy for science, technology and innovation in Islamic countries and its implementation mechanisms. Electing members of the Consultative Council for the Implementation of The Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation in Islamic Countries. Brunei Darussalam has been selected as member of the council.
Creating a network of women scientists in OIC member states.
Accepting the invitation of the Malaysian government to host the 5th Conference in Malaysia in the second half of October 2010.
Source: http://www.brudirect.com (October 08, 2008)