Ben Ng (Borneo Bulletin)

UNIVERSITI Brunei Darussalam (UBD) kicked off its Freshers’ Week on Monday for new students joining the 2009/2010 academic sessions.

Vice Chancellor Dr Haji Zulkarnain Haji Hanafi addressed a welcoming ceremony for 496 undergraduate students and 68 diploma students.

UBD Freshers’ Week provides the students with a smooth transition to university life and prepares them for the academic programmes.

“It can be a challenging experience when the semester starts next week: finding your way to your classes, getting your UBD Identity card done, finding which student clubs/ societies to join in and so on,” Dk Dr Nurolaini Pg Haji Muhd Kifli, the Dean of Students, said.

“More importantly, it is vital for you to realise that the reason for you to be here is not just to spend the next three to four years to get your diplomas and/or degrees, but to acquire the ability to think critically and reason on your own, grow into responsible and accountable adults, have an awareness of the environment, develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills, and being an innovative and a well-rounded marketable graduate, especially in this ever changing and unpredictable world.”

UBD’s undergraduate programmes this year are Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Health Science, Bachelor of Science, BSc (Biotechnology), BSc (Geology and Petroleum Geology), and BSc (Physical Education).

It offers Diploma in Nursing, Diploma in Midwifery and several Advanced Diploma programmes at the Institute of Medicine, the university said in a statement.

Throughout the week, the Student Affairs Section, the Admission and Examinations Section, the Library and other academic support facilities will brief the new students.

They will also be briefed on the academic programmes before they choose their academic major and breadth modules.

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