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BSUnion held the annual Society Awards to celebrate the achievements of Society Leaders and Regional Executives in 2019/2020. The theme of this years' Society Awards was "Afternoon in Venice" held at Horizons Seafood Restaurant in Bandar Seri Begawan, right by Kampong Ayer which is popularly dubbed as 'Venice of the East' The event started off with opening remarks from UPP Director of Studies, Cikgu Danny Aimi followed by opening remarks from Abullah Umar, BSUnion President. Awards standards of Bronze, Silver and Gold were then presented by Nabeelah Abu Bakar the former Vice President of Admin and FInance. Then certificates of appreciation were awarded to Regional Executives for their note-worthy effort in organising students and information during the emergency COVID flights and lastly a special certificate was awarded to the BruKnights which was the society who had donated the most meals with 154 meals donated during the SCOT 3000 meal challenge. The rest of the afternoon consisted of enjoying the view of Kampong Ayer, socialising with other society members and utilising the fun photobooth. BSUnion would like to celebrate and recognise all the societies effort in keeping their societies active and engaged. The Global Awareness and Impact Alliance (GAIA) and the Brunei Students’ Union in the United Kingdom and Eire (BSUnion) jointly organised the final seminar of a three-part seminar series at the Institute of Leadership, Innovation, and Advancement (ILIA), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD). This series titled ‘Building a Post-Pandemic Global Society’ aimed to combine the novel ideas of university students with the opinions of an expert speaker in an effort to build preparedness to face a post-pandemic world. The theme for the seminar centred on how the COVID-19 virus is ‘Reshaping Social Policy’; transmission control measures worldwide have dramatically altered human activity, thus forcing us to reflect on a number of pressing societal concerns. The seminar opened with welcoming remarks from GAIA Co-Founder Naveed Khan and President of BSUnion Abdullah Umar. The speakers for this seminar were undergraduate students Izzati Azhan (BSc Planning and Real, University of Manchester), Hamizan Iman (Law LLB, Cardiff University), Nabeelah Abu Bakar (BSc MORSE, University of Southampton), and Mu’izz Abdul Khalid (PhD Candidate in Southeast Asian Studies, National University Singapore). Moderated by GAIA Co-Founder Dr. Asyura Salleh, the seminar explored how the viral pandemic has encouraged a reimagining of urban cities as greener sites for efficient and sustainable lifestyles. The seminar also touched on how public systems such as healthcare can be affected by concepts of bias. Moreover, the seminar raised awareness on gender-motivated behaviour that has increased during this pandemic. The audience was also given food for thought about how we can actively centre ourselves as agents of our own histories and cultures to allow for an unrestrained production of knowledge. All three seminars were open to both the public and students. GAIA and BSUnion also express their deepest thanks to those who have attended our Seminars Series on ‘Building a Post-Pandemic Global Society’. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, SUNDAY, 9th August 2020 – The Brunei Students’ Union in the United Kingdom and Eire (BSUnion) council members spearheaded the effort of carrying out a ‘Society Funday’ at Muara Beach. This event sought to bring all Bruneian university societies from different parts of the UK, ranging from the peripheral cities of England, all the way up to the core of Scotland. The turnout for the event was up to around 80 students including the new students for this upcoming semester. The aim for this event is for societies to merge and deepen the relationships of the different constituencies, as well as familiarising themselves with the newer BSUnion administration. This was successfully coordinated and conducted through various notable activities such as sandcastle building, ‘tiga selipar’ dodgeball, tic tac toe relays, blindfolded cotton-scooping and other countless creative activities. The event was also a wonderful opportunity for new students who finished their higher education to integrate with their respective societies prior to their departure to the UK in the coming future. It helped give the newer students an insight on how societies function, as well as how there is a community to make themselves feel home, away from home. Not only that, but it was also a chance for established current society members to link up once more after facing and practicing months of social distancing. The Global Awareness and Impact Alliance (GAIA) in partnership with the Brunei Students’ Union in the United Kingdom and Eire (BSUnion) hosted the second of a three-part seminar series at the Institute of Leadership, Innovation, and Advancement (ILIA), Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD). This series titled ‘Building a Post-Pandemic Global Society’ sought to fuse the novel ideas of university students with the insights of an expert speaker in an effort to build preparedness to face a post-pandemic world. The theme for the seminar centred on how the COVID-19 virus is ‘Restructuring the Regional Economy’ as national economies worldwide have witnessed rising unemployment rates, fluctuating commodity prices, and readjusted state budgets. The seminar opened with welcoming remarks from GAIA Co-Founder Dr. Asyura Salleh and General Secretary of BSUnion Nazurah Hapiz. The speakers for this seminar were undergraduate students Abdullah Umar (BA Politics and Economics, Newcastle University), Michael Shie (BA Economics, Durham University), Ameerah Kasmirhan (BA Architecture, Newcastle University), and expert speaker Yazid Mahadi, CFA. Moderated by GAIA Project Manager Nadeeya Salleh, the seminar raised thought-provoking points on how the pandemic has restructured the global and regional economic landscapes by highlighting the importance of effective governance in striking a balance between the protection of economic and public health. The seminar also observed how the global economy has shifted to the East during the pandemic period, which is also ushering in a more digitised form of globalisation. The seminar also called for the audience to begin rethinking wealth in a more holistic way rather than in monetary terms to encourage a more regenerative economy. The audience was given food for thought on what the global economy could look like, and the opportunities it will present once the world enters a post-pandemic era. The seminars have been open to the public. The final seminar in this three-part series on ‘Building a Post-Pandemic Global Society’ will be held on 13th August. This seminar will focus on how COVID-19 has reshaped social policy and is forcing us to reflect on pressing societal concerns amid a global pandemic. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, MONDAY, 3rd August 2020 – The Brunei Students’ Union in the United Kingdom and Eire (BSUnion) and the Global Awareness & Impact Alliance (GAIA) hosted one of a three-part seminar series on Monday evening, the 3rd of August 2020 at the Institute for Leadership, Innovation and Advancement, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD). The series aims to give students an opportunity to talk about topics related to their titles of study in accordance with the theme of ‘Building a Post-Pandemic Global Society’. The topic for the evening was ‘Refocusing Health Policies’ in which the seminars presented investigate how various aspects of the health sectors have been redefined by the pandemic.The series is open to the public, thus, in attendance were the members of the BSUnion Student Council as well as members of the public which ranged from UBD medical and dentistry students to the general public. The event started with opening remarks from Mr Naveed Khan, the Co-Founder of GAIA and Mr Michael Shie, the Vice President for Regional Coordination, BSUnion. It then proceeded to the seminars led by student speakers - Vanessa Ang, a 2nd Year Law LLB student from the University of Bristol talked about ‘Staying OK in a not-so-OK world: Keeping our mental health in check’ and Jia Hui Lim, a 4th Year BHSc Dentistry student from the University of Glasgow talked about ‘The impact of COVID-19 on the dental community’ whereas Syafiq Syahrudin, a 3rd Year BSc Occupational Therapy student from the University of Essex presented the ‘Value of Occupation in regard to health’. In addition to the aforementioned panel of speakers, Dr. Justin Wong, a Public Health Policy Expert from the Ministry of Health had also given a seminar to offer an expertise insight to the topic at hand. The seminars were moderated by Dr Asyura Salleh, Co-Founder of GAIA who highlighted the importance and abided by the Chatham House Rules in which the discussions that have been exchanged are not to be associated with the individual speaking it. The discussions ranged from mental health to dentistry to other aspects of various health policies. A key takeaway was the importance of applying a holistic approach to Health in all policies and the importance of health education in itself. After the seminars, the event continued with a light discussion consisting of a Q&A where the floor was opened up to everyone in attendance. For more information on the upcoming seminar sessions or to learn more, visit the BSU website at www.bsunion.org or the GAIA website at www.gaiaalliance.co. The next seminars will be on the 6th of August 2020 discussing ideas on ‘Restructuring the Regional Economy’ and 13th August 2020 on ‘Reshaping Social Policy’ The Brunei Students’ Union in the United Kingdom and Eire (BSUnion) attended an entrepreneurship workshop hosted by Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) on Thursday evening, the 23rd of July 2020 at the iCentre Auditorium in Anggerek Desa. The session aims to reach out to students to promote entrepreneurship and showcase what resources DARe has to offer as well as present their initiatives to help business startups. The session was led by Ummi Othman, the Executive Officer for the Startup Development Enterprise Programme from DARe and by Chai Roslin, the Director II of Youth Against Poverty (YAP) from the Society for Community Outreach & Training (SCOT). The event started with a presentation of the vast programs that DARe has to offer which help business startups to grow. After, the floor was opened for a Q&A session with one of the entrepreneurs involved in the business startup initiatives that DARe offers. The event then continued with an entrepreneurial group activity which provided valuable insight into the DARe workshops. In attendance were the members of the BSUnion Student Council and a number of students from various Bruneian societies in the United Kingdom and Eire as the session aimed to ideally reach out to students. This adheres to the BSUnion goals of increasing financial literacy and improving employability. This session highlights the importance of planning for the future and how society should be adapting to the changing landscape. Entrepreneurship and self-employment are innovative alternatives to conventional employment. It encourages self-sustainability, progressing further towards ‘Generasi Berwawasan 2035’ whilst tackling the alarming unemployment rate in the country. BSUnion joined Projek Kasih Lebaran 2020 which was hosted by @sukarelawanbelia.bn. The project aims to give back to the community by helping to clean the houses of the elderly and to create a close knit bond between the younger and older generations. BSUnion members were assigned to help clean and organise the houses of the elderly community located in the district of Tutong. The project was held on 2 consecutive Sundays and in collaboration with other organisations including local higher education institutions. 16w Throughout the month of Ramadhan BSUnion members have participated in SCOT's 3000 meal challenge. The Social Kitchen initiative included helping to cook and distribute meals to the COVID-19 frontliners and the less fortunate. The Social Kitchen is led by single mothers who are supported by SCOT through training and entrepreneurship opportunities to further create a more sustainable and independent lifestyle. The 3000 Meal Challenge was open to the public and aim to collect donations to fund the meals made from the Social Kitchen with the target of 3000 meals by the end of Ramadhan. With the help of other institutions and organisations, SCOT was able to achieve their target, with BSUnion being the contributor with the most meals donated! The BSU high council are immensely proud of our members, especially the society leaders for leading this initiative and working together towards a goal that benefits the underprivileged in Brunei! Thank you to those who have participated, donated and volunteered throughout this whole month! This would not have been possible without you all! Thank you to @scot_brunei for hosting this meaningful and impactful initiative LONDON, THURSDAY, 4th March 2020 – The Brunei Students’ Union in the United Kingdom and Eire (BSUnion) hosted the ‘Brunei University Challenge 2020’ at The Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London on Saturday, 29th February 2020.
A total of 13 teams, consisting of 4 students per team, participated in the event. The event showcased these teams competing against each other in the battle of intelligence and knowledge to see which team will rise to the top. The morning session saw the preliminary rounds, whereas the quarter final, semi-final and final rounds were held in the afternoon. The questions asked were difficult and challenging, with a wide range of topics including humanities, science and knowledge on Brunei. In attendance to spectate the semi-finals and the finals were the guest of honour, Her Excellency Pengiran Hajah Rooslina Weti binti Pengiran Haji Kamaludin, The High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to the United Kingdom, along with officers from the High Commission of Brunei Darussalam to the United Kingdom, The Brunei Students’ Unit, and students from different universities in the United Kingdom. Before the semi-final rounds began, Dayangku Nurin Nabeelah binti Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar, The Vice President for Administration and Finance of The Brunei Students’ Union in the United Kingdom and Eire gave her speech, congratulating all the teams who participated and making the event the most participated Brunei University Challenge since it was introduced. Each team played incredibly, showing off their world knowledge and impressing the audience with rarely known facts. Two teams battled for the title of champion in the final round; ‘Kurapak Kampung Kitani’ and ‘Artificial Intelligence’. In the end, ‘Kurapak Kampung Kitani’ brought the trophies home. The guest of honour, Her Excellency Pengiran Hajah Rooslina Weti binti Pengiran Haji Kamaludin, The High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam to the United Kingdom, was then invited to award prizes for the champions, Kurapak Kampung Kitani, and the runner-up, Artificial Intelligence, and also handed out certificates to all the teams who participated in the event. The event ended with a group photo session and refreshments served at Brunei Hall, London. The Brunei University Challenge is sponsored by Brunei LNG Sdn Bhd (BLNG), Royal Brunei Airlines and Findlay. here to edit. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, SATURDAY, 23/11/2019 - The Brunei Religious Officers Student Association (BruROSA) had recently held the annual Kem Ibadah , for three consecutive days,Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 15th until 17th of November 2019 for Bruneian students studying in the United Kingdom and Ireland at Brunei Hall, London with its theme, ‘The Reconnection:Restoring Your Iman Network’.
Kem Ibadah is an annual religious camp held in the United Kingdom organised by BruROSA for Bruneian students in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The main objective of this camp is to motivate the students to strive for success not just in their academic studies but, also in the understanding of the religion. A total of 74 students including the BruROSA members were gathered at Brunei Hall, London. The opening ceremony was held on 16th of November, where Her Excellency, Pengiran Hajah Rooslina Weti binti Pengiran Haji Kamaludin, the High Commissioner of Brunei Darussalam in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland attended as the guest of honour. The chairpersons for this year’s Kem Ibadah is Mohammad Harith Syafiq Bin Mohammad Halim from University of Nottingham and ‘Afifah Binti Haji Mat Dani from University of Bath. Muhammad Aqil Bin Awang and Nur Arina Binti Haji Hamidun from Cardiff University are the camp commandants for the male participants and the female participants respectively. The event began with the recitation of surah An Nisa verses 36-38 by Ahmad Zakwan Bin Haji Mohd Salleh from Imperial College London, followed by the translation by Abdul Halim Bin Anuar from Loughborough University. The highlight of the day was the amazing race which took place at Hyde Park, where groups of participants compete in various games. The rest of the day was filled with meaningful indoor activities including ice breaking sessions and quiz on Islamic Events.On 17th November 2019, participants gathered at the prayer hall for their Subuh prayer and later on had a small forum and a feedback session between the organisers and the participants. The chairpersons and camp commandants gave their farewell speeches and held a small gift exchange between all participants. Nur Shahirah Binti Haji Bakar from University of Edinburgh, representing the female participants mentioned “I have learned about how ukhuwah can be very rewarding to ourselves if it is Lillahi Taala. Friends can be the ones who can help bring ourselves to Jannah. It is our responsibility to take care of each other and remind each other of Allah.” in her speech at the closing Ceremony. |
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