​Culture and art are not only the basis of shaping a community but also reflect sharing of experience and determining the values that are daily practices in carrying out responsibilities to achieve the objectives of the community and nation, said Legislative Council (LegCo) Yang Berhormat Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Momin during the opening ceremony of Konsortium Universiti Universitas Borneo (KUUB) Convention 2024 at Balai Khazanah Islam Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah yesterday.

 

The convention, themed ‘Budaya dan Seni’, is a cornerstone event for a consortium comprising 17 member universities and higher education institutions across Borneo aimed at fostering academic collaboration, share research insights and explore solutions to regional challenges. 

 

Yang Berhormat Hajah Rosmawatty said the KUUB Convention is an initiative that not only increases commitment and strategic cooperation among higher education institutions in Borneo but also plays a significant role in supporting excellence in academic. It increases capabilities and strengthen internationalisation of teaching and learning. The LegCo member added that the convention is important in the progress of higher education in Borneo as well as ensure the universities are able to compete in the international level.

 

Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) Vice-Chancellor Datin Paduka Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman, as chairperson of the KUUB 2024 steering committee, said UTB and KUUB are co-organising the first International Conference on Creative Arts Design and Technology (ICCArTe) 2024, themed ‘Harmonising Art and Culture through Sustainable, Creative, and Innovative Design’.

 

The conference will focus on four fields – architecture, industrial or product design, fashion design forms and technologies related to creative arts. 

 

There will also be a seminar to highlight the principles of open science and how to build collaborative research network.

 

The KUUB Convention saw a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signing between UTB and Malaysia’s Swinburne University of Technology, Sarawak Campus, to enhance collaboration and support mutual growth between the two institutions.

 

There was also a presentation on ‘AgriHub@Gedong: Sustainable Agriculture for Food Security’ delivered by the KUUB president Professor Dr Shahrul Razid Sarbini.

 

The opening ceremony concluded with guests visiting the KUUB Convention exhibition showcasing academic achievements, research projects and cultural exhibits from participating universities.