UTB CCTL Showcases AI-Driven Educational Insights at 10th ICLE 2024 in Thailand
6 December 2024 – Staff and Students from the Centre for Communication Teaching and Learning (CCTL) at UTB showcased their research and insights at the prestigious 10th International Conference on Language and Education 2024 (ICLE ‘24) in Thailand. Themed “Navigating Language & Cross-Cultural Communication in the AI-Powered Education and Hospitality Industry”, the conference was hosted by the Association of Language Teachers in Southeast Asia in collaboration with the Faculty of Hospitality Industry, Kasetsart University, from 5 to 6 December 2024.
Among the distinguished plenary speakers was Dr. Nena Valdez, Senior Assistant Professor of CCTL whose presentation, “Authentic Learning Assessment and Artificial Intelligence: A Systemic Institutional Harmonization Perspective”, offered a thought-provoking exploration of how AI can drive systemic changes in authentic learning assessment within educational institutions.
Joining her as a plenary speaker was Dr Hjh Mas Ayu Kartika Dewi binti Hj Mumin, Assistant Professor of CCTL who delivered a presentation on “The Role of AI in Transforming Academic Writing Education”. She also presented her paper, “It’s a double-edged sword”: The Discordance Between Students’ Perceptions of AI-Generated LLM Use in Academic Writing and Academic Integrity Standards, which delves into the complexities of AI’s role in academic integrity and student perceptions of AI-generated large language models (LLMs).
Additionally, two PhD students also presented their research at the conference. Natashya Afdanizan presented her paper, “Navigating Secondary School Leaders and Teachers’ Work-Life Balance through Educational Support Management: Analysing the Support Structure Provided for School Leaders and Teachers in Brunei”, which addresses crucial aspects of support systems in Brunei’s education sector. Whereas Atif Rahim shared his study on “Exploring the Effectiveness of Mental Health Facilitation in Higher Educational Institutes from Students’ Perspectives in Brunei Darussalam”, providing valuable insights into mental health support for students in higher education.
UTB Student Basma Lachkar Wins Gold at World Games Series 2024 in Hong Kon
13 October 2024 - Dyg Basma Lachkar, a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Communication student from UTB, has once again made her mark on the international stage. Competing in the women’s taijiquan - taijijian combined event at the World Games Series 2024 in Hong Kong, Basma emerged as the gold medalist, achieving a remarkable score of 19.323 points to secure the top position overall.
UTB extends its heartfelt congratulations to Basma for this extraordinary achievement as she continues to balance her academic pursuits with her athletic endeavors. Her success journey serves as an inspiration to all students, proving that with passion and perseverance, remarkable achievements are possible. UTB is immensely proud of her impressive achievement!
UTB Postgraduate Iqbaal Syakib Crowned Overall Champion at 4th Historical Speech Competition 2024
10 October 2024 - Muhammad Iqbaal Syakib bin Haji Suhib, a Master of Science student in Communication at Universiti Teknologi Brunei’s (UTB) Centre for Communication, Teaching, and Learning, has emerged as the overall winner in the Pertandingan Pidato Sejarah Kali Ke-4, Tahun 2024 (translated: 4th Historical Speech Competition 2024, hosted by the Brunei History Centre.
Competing among youth aged 18-35 in Category A, Iqbaal not only secured first place but was also recognised as the Overall Champion, earning the title of Pemidato Terbaik (translated: Best Speaker). This competition aims to cultivate historical awareness and enhance public speaking abilities among Brunei’s young population, drawing participants from diverse backgrounds.
Iqbaal’s success serves as an inspiration to fellow students and underscores the significance of engaging with national history and cultural heritage through meaningful events like the Historical Speech Competition.
Bridging Theory and Practice: UTB Students Explore Magazine Production at Big Magazine
1 October 2024 - Communication students and staff recently embarked on an enlightening field trip to Big Magazine, a leading local publication, as part of their LC2312 Media Writing course. This hands-on experience was designed to provide students with real-world insights into the magazine writing process.
Mr. Wan Zainal Abidin Shazali, Big Magazine’s proprietor and a part time lecturer at UTB School of Design, hosted the visit. He offered students a wealth of knowledge about magazine production and effective mass media communication strategies.
The excursion included a comprehensive tour of the facility, with particular focus on the editorial and design departments. Students engaged in meaningful discussions that traced the journey of magazine content from initial concept to final layout, encompassing writing and editing stages.
This immersive learning experience aims to equip students with the practical skills and industry knowledge essential for thriving in the ever-evolving field of communication. By bridging classroom theory with real-world application, the visit helped prepare students for the challenges and opportunities that await them in their future careers.
UTB Equips 47 Academics as Peer Evaluation of Teaching (PET) Assessors to Advance Education Excellence
28 September 2024 - Peer Evaluation of Teaching (PET) is a key tool in Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) by which academics are evaluated for teaching effectiveness through criteria which reflect UTB’s standards of quality outcome-based teaching and student-centred learning. Peer evaluation has been a longstanding practice in UTB to ensure high quality of teaching, where PET in its current form using three-member panels has been in place since at least 2015. PET has proven to be a key element through which academic staff are able to ensure the quality of the teaching and students’ learning through a combination of constructive and formative feedback.
A training session was conducted on Saturday, 28 September 2024 for 47 UTB academic staff who were qualified to be PET Assessors. The training session was organised by the Office of Quality Assurance (QAO) together with the Centre for Communication, Teaching and Learning (CCTL) of UTB, and facilitated by Dr Nena Padilla-Valdez, Dean of CCTL, as well as Dr Yap Yok Hoe and Dr Hjh Nor Zainah binti Hj Siau, Director and Deputy Director respectively of QAO.
The participants of the training course included a wide range of academics from UTB, representing all Schools/Faculty of UTB in all disciplines. The highly-interactive training session was held to enable assessors to complete PET assessments to objective and consistent standards, as well as to develop appropriate qualitative feedback for lecturers. The resulting enhancements to PET implementation will help in the continual pursuit of Education Excellence as a critical component of UTB’s Strategic Plan 2024-2028.
UTB’s Basma Lachkar Wins Silver and Bronze at 4th World Taijiquan Championships in Singapore
27th August 2024 - At the 4th World Taijiquan Championships in Singapore, Dyg Basma Lachkar, a student from BSc (Hons) in Communication, Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB), won a Silver medal in Optional Taijiquan and a Bronze medal in Optional Taijijian.
The World Taijiquan Championships, organised by the International Wushu Federation, is a major event that brings together top Taijiquan practitioners from around the world. This year’s competition highlighted the skill and dedication of participants.
UTB extends its congratulations to Dyg Basma Lachkar for her outstanding achievement and is proud to support students who excel in their respective fields.
UTB Collaborates with Turkish Embassy and Yunus Emre Institute for Türkiye Promotion Day 2024
17 August 2024 - UTB organised in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Turkiye and Yunus Emre Institute for the Turkiye Promotion day held at the Lecture Theatre 3 of UTB.
Present as the Guest of Honour was His Excellency Professor Dr Hamit Ersoy, Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye to Brunei Darussalam.
Also attended the Promotion Day were Yang Mulia Datin Paduka Professor Dr Dayang Hajah Zohrah binti Hj Sulaiman, Vice-Chancellor of UTB; His Excellency’s spouse, UTB’s staff and students.
The event was aimed to increase awareness and publicity of the Turkish Language Courses for the new academic year whilst also promoting the art and culture of turkiye.
UTB Celebrates Students’ Achievements at 21st ASEAN University Games 2024 in Surabaya
1 July 2024 - Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) proudly welcomes back two distinguished students, Basma binti Lachkar, a BSc (Hons) in Communication student, and Md Nur Iman Hakimi bin Mohammad Nur Adenan, a BSc (Hons) in Computing student, following their successful participation in the prestigious 21st ASEAN University Games (AUG) 2024 in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Basma achieved a remarkable feat by securing the gold medal in the Taiji Quan (Women’s) category, representing Brunei Darussalam as a Wushu athlete. Her outstanding performance highlights the exceptional talent and dedication of UTB’s students on the international stage.
In a celebratory reception, Yang Mulia Dr Awang Haji Azman bin Ahmad, the Permanent Secretary (Higher Education) at the Ministry of Education Brunei Darussalam, and Yang Mulia Datin Paduka Professor Dr Dayang Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman, Vice-Chancellor of UTB, warmly welcomed the returning athletes. They were joined by other distinguished participants from higher education institutions across the region, celebrating the spirit of excellence and sportsmanship.
UTB MSc Communication Students Attend Briefing and Iftar Hosted by Chinese Embassy in Brune
8 April 2024 - A group of 12 students from the MSc in Communication, along with their lecturer Dr. Lee Kok Yueh, attended a briefing and iftar event hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Brunei. Local media and think tank representatives were also present at this gathering held at the Presidential Lounge of the Rizqun International Hotel.
During the session, the Chinese Ambassador to Brunei, His Excellency Xiao Jianguo, spoke on various topics. These included the prospects and opportunities in China’s economy, the progress in China-Brunei relations, China’s foreign policy stance, the issue concerning Taiwan, China’s policies related to religion, and the development achievements in the Xinjiang region.
CCTL organised National Day Exhibition to Foster Patriotism and Cultural Appreciation
5 March 2024 - UTB launched the Pameran Semarak Hari Kebangsaan 2024 in conjunction with the 40th National Day of Brunei Darussalam. The event, organised by the Centre for Communication, Teaching, and Learning (CCTL), was held this morning at the Pearl Building of the university. The event carries the theme ‘Warisan Budaya Identiti Bangsa Kita’. Present as the Guest of Honour to officiate the event was Yang Mulia Dr Au Thein Wan, Acting Vice-Chancellor of UTB.
The event commenced with the recitation of Surah Al-Fatihah and Doa Selamat, followed by welcoming remarks from Yang Mulia Dr Norihan Abu Hassan, Dean of Centre for Communication, Teaching, and Learning (CCTL). The Guest of Honour then officially launched the Pameran Semarak Hari Kebangsaan 2024, followed by a tour of the exhibition.
The exhibition comprised of 7 themes of the exhibition. The exhibition included video presentations on folklore of Brunei Darussalam, traditional instruments of Brunei Darussalam, traditional games of Brunei Darussalam, traditional food of Brunei Darussalam, and Fashion and Design.
The objective of this programmes is to enhance the spirit of patriotism and strengthening the national identity, fostering a deeper appreciation of Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB), and increase public understanding of the nation’s culture, arts, and heritage.
The exhibition is open for public for three consecutive days from 5 to 7 March from 8.30 am to 4:30 pm.
Two CCTL Students Embark on International Internship at Turkey’s ICTA through UTB ExperiencePLUS
27 February 2024 - Two students from the Centre of Communication, Teaching, Learning (CCTL) left the Sultanate for a three-month internship at the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) in Ankara, Turkey, under the UTB ExperiencePLUS programme. The students are Siti Sara binti Haji Jamal’uddin and Syafiqah Nazirah binti Suaime.
Present to bid farewell were His Excellency Prof. Dr. Hamit Ersoy, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey to Brunei Darussalam, and Madam Lale Ersoy, spouse of His Excellency. Also present were Yang Mulia Dr Mohamad Saiful bin Haji Omar, Acting Vice-Chancellor of UTB; Yang Mulia Dr Norihan binti Abu Hassan, Dean of CCTL; Yang Mulia Dr Wendy Ng Pei Qin, Acting Director of Corporate Communications Office; Yang Mulia Dayang Elizah binti Radin Mas Ismail, Deputy Registrar (Academic); Yang Mulia Dr Malai Zeiti binti Sheikh Abdul Hamid, Deputy Dean of CCTL; staff and officers from the Registrar’s Office, Corporate Communications Office, Student Affairs Office, Religious Unit and CCTL.
1 February 2024 - The Career Guidance Unit of UTB and Campus Leader of Centre for Communication, Teaching and Learning (CCTL) organised a career talk and development session titled ‘Speak with Confidence for Career Success’ held at the Lecture Theatre 1, Library Complex of the university.
Jensen Siaw, a global motivational speaker from Singapore, conducted the session. It featured insights from Kelvin Pong Ming Onn of AIA Br-Kelvin Pong and Muhd Nufathullah, a representative of AIA BR-Kelvin Pong and a UTB graduate.
The talk was tailored to elevate communication skills, providing actionable strategies to overcome challenges commonly encountered in the professional landscape. Students were prepared to boost their confidence and enhance their effectiveness, equipping themselves with the essential tools for a successful career.
UTB Sends Ninth Cohort of Students to Piper Aircraft Internship Programme in Florida
22 February 2024 - Five undergraduate students from UTB from the Faculty of Engineering, School of Business, School of Computing and Informatics, and Centre for Communication, Teaching and Learning (CCTL) left the country for Florida, USA this morning to begin a six-month internship programme with Piper Aircraft, Inc. under the UTB ExperiencePLUS programme.
This marks the ninth cohort of the internship programme since the establishment of partnership between UTB and Piper Aircraft in 2013 through a Memorandum of Understanding. The students include Awang Liew Yu Loeng, Awang Liew Se Hau, Awang Muhammad Amin Syaffieq bin Roslan, Dayang Nurul ‘Aina Izzati binti Mohd Yusmin, and Dayang Mu’izzah Zafirah binti Matussin. The students have demonstrated outstanding academic achievements and performed exceptionally well throughout a rigorous selection process conducted by Piper and the University.
Present to bid farewell were Yang Mulia Mr Lim Chui Hua, Registrar and Secretary for UTB; Yang Mulia Dr Hj Sharul Tazrajiman bin Hj Tajuddin, Dean of School of Computing and Informatics (SCI); Yang Mulia Dr Norihan binti Abu Hassan, Dean of Centre for Communication, Teaching and Learning (CCTL); Yang Mulia Elizah binti Radin Mas Ismail, Deputy Registrar (Academic); Yang Mulia Pg Dr. Seri Rahayu binti Pg Ya’akub, Deputy Dean (Academic) of Faculty of Engineering; Yang Mulia Dr. Mohamed Ismail Seyed Mohamed Buhari, Deputy Dean of UTB School of Business; Yang Mulia Dr. Lee Kok Yueh, Piper Coordinator; Registrar Office; Corporate Communications Office; Student Affairs Office; Religious Unit; and staff SCI, and CCTL.
Career Talk at UTB Inspires Students to Communicate with Confidence for Professional Success
1 February 2024 - The Career Guidance Unit of UTB and Campus Leader of Centre for Communication, Teaching and Learning (CCTL) organised a career talk and development session titled ‘Speak with Confidence for Career Success’ held at the Lecture Theatre 1, Library Complex of the university.
Jensen Siaw, a global motivational speaker from Singapore, conducted the session. It featured insights from Kelvin Pong Ming Onn of AIA Br-Kelvin Pong and Muhd Nufathullah, a representative of AIA BR-Kelvin Pong and a UTB graduate.
The talk was tailored to elevate communication skills, providing actionable strategies to overcome challenges commonly encountered in the professional landscape. Students were prepared to boost their confidence and enhance their effectiveness, equipping themselves with the essential tools for a successful career.
