Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and Yala Islamic University in southern Thailand are poised to forge a solid bond, with next Monday's scheduled signing of an educational MoU.

The MoU, the first of its kind between UBD and a university in southern Thailand, will pave the way for UBD students to visit Yala Islamic University for community work, and vice versa for Thai university students at UBD.

Three officials from UBD - the Director of Language Centre, Dr Yabit Alas; Director of Academy of Brunei Studies, Dr Siti Norkhalbi Hj Wahsalfelah; and Senior Lecturer at the Language Centre, Datin Hjh Rosnah Hj Ramly - are already in Thailand, visiting numerous Royal Thai Projects en route to Yala Islamic University as they search for even more possibilities for collaboration.

The UBD officials are accompanied by eight students - four from Thailand who are currently studying at UBD and UN ISSA, and four local UBD students. Also traveling with the delegation throughout the trip are Mdm Waesong Deleng, Minister of the Royal Thai Embassy in Brunei, and Ms Srilak Parsons, also from the embassy.

"Yala Islamic University would like to formalise the cooperation with UBD for both universities in the exchange students in the near future," Datin Hajah Rosnah said in an interview with the Bulletin. "In terms of actual collaboration, we hope to send a small group of students to Yala, the southern part of Thailand, as well as the northern part of Thailand for UBD to try out the community service by June this year. However, it will depend on our discussion."

The senior lecturer further said that the visit serves as a trial run for the small group of students led by Dr Yabit Alas.

"If there are any difficulties that may arise, then we can iron out any problem because the actual `Discovery Year' is in 2011," she said, adding that the community service would include teaching English Language, Malay Language and IT skills.

Community service is an option under the Discovery Year for third year students under UBD's GenNEXT Degrees.During the two-day visit, the UBD delegates visited the Royal Projects and Huai Hing Khrai Royal Development Student Centre located in Chiang -Mai.

Datin Hjh Rosnah lauded the potential, areas of collaboration with both sites."Both places offer numerous opportunities for our students who can gain in terms of transfer of skills and knowledge. Our students can be attached to these centres, and there is a lot that we can learn and take back to Brunei."

Dr Siti Norkhalbi, meanwhile, said students can learn about the culture and understand the lifestyles of the indigenous people of Thailand.

"During the visit to the Royal Project, we were made to understand that there are also homestay programmes with the hill tribe people," she said. "It will be a very good opportunity for our students to learn about the culture of the minority people in Thailand.

"We have multilateral MoUs under the Asean Universities network umbrella with three Thai universities, namely Chulalongkorn University, Mahidol University and Burapa University. This is the first time we will be working with a university in the southern part of Thailand." -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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