THE Kuala Belalong Field Study Centre (KBFSC) is currently being developed as an international centre of excellence in the study of tropical rainforests, encompassing biodiversity, climate change, sustainable development and the environment through the Belalong Initiative.

Dr Haji Zulkarnain bin Haji Hanafi, Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam, who made a welcoming speech last night at the opening ceremony of the ASEM workshop at the Chancellor Hall, UBD, said that there are currently several projects under this initiative that promote research collaboration between institutions and agencies,— national and internationally.

Projects under this initiative, according to the Vice-Chancellor, currently include the International Consortium of Universities for the Study of Biodiversity and the Environment, or I-CUBE in short, Energy Research cluster and Environment and Sustainable Development research cluster.

He said the I-CUBE would strategically bring together a select group of research universities who share a common vision and are committed to research and education on biodiversity, climate change and the environment.

“This exciting project will provide a framework to promote collaboration and cooperative activities for research, teaching and learning, drawing on complimentary capabilities of the partner universities, and in the process, strengthening the research capacities of each partner university.”

Universiti Brunei Darussalam is also fast taking its role within this line of collaborative framework.
Dr Haji Zulkarnain added that UBD is actively involved in Brunei’s Heart of Borneo Project Implementation Framework, including a faunal biodiversity survey of the Sungei Ingei Conservation Forest.

“The Heart of Borneo Council supported the survey project to address the need for sustainably managing our biodiversity and its significance to ecotourism and economic impact to Brunei,” he said.
Sungai Ingei Conservation Forest is situated in Ulu Belait and is considered= to be one of the most pristine forests in Brunei, comprising three forest types: mixed dipterocarp forest, upland Kerangas and patches of freshwater swamp.

Participating government agencies include the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources, Ministry of Development, Ministry of Health, Brunei Museum, and the Survey Department.

The survey was jointly funded by Standard Chartered Bank and World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
“This type of multi-stakeholder collaboration is exciting and reflects how global issues truly affect every member of the community and internationally,” Dr Haji Zulkarnain said.

In further explaining UBD’s role in the multi-stakeholder collaboration, the Vice-Chancellor said, in August of last year UBD had signed the Seoul Declaration on Climate Change and Sustainable Development in Asia and Africa.

“The declaration formed the Asia-Africa Education and Research network for Climate Change and Sustainable development (A-AERNet), which provides a platform for the universities to cooperate and collaborate on research on the inter-related issues of climate change and sustainable development

“By signing the Seoul Declaration, UBD will be able to enhance its research activities on climate change and sustainable development and work in partnership with other leading universities in Asia and Africa,” he added.

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