Four UBD Students Get Indonesian Scholarship

Bandar Seri Begawan, 03 Dzulqa’dah 1437/06 August 2016 (MINA) – A University Brunei Darussalam (UBD) student Friday left for a one-year scholarship programme at a prestigious university in Indonesia.

Nur Syazana Hj Md Suif, 24, who is majoring in historical studies, will be participating in the programme for the 2016/2017 academic year at Universitas Indonesia.

Before her departure at the Brunei International Airport, Nur Syazana said she hoped to gain more experiences and learn about Indonesia culture, including the country’s various dialects.

“I want to know more why it is called Bahasa Indonesia instead of Malay language,” she said, adding that she is keen to learn about the similarities in both cultures.

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“I am interested in Malay literature, including from Indonesia. So I think this is a great opportunity for me to learn more about it,” she said.

She said her time in Jakarta will be spent on research in Indonesian literature.

According to the Brunei Times, Nur Syazana is among the four Bruneian students who have been awarded the Darmasiswa Scholarship. Three other UBD students will be departing on August 21 to Indonesia.

They are Norrafidah Hj Amin, Nur Atikah Hj Haslan and Muhammad Muzhafar Mahadi.

The trio, majoring in Creative Art and Technology, will be attending the one-year programme at Institut Teknologi Bandung in West Java.

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Norrafidah Hj Amin, 25, said she is keen to network with other international students who are also participating in the programme.

“I have always been interested in textiles, so I want to learn more about batik from Indonesia and I will combine it with our Brunei brocade for my next project,” said Norrafidah.

Muhammad Muzhafar Mahadi, 25, said he is interested in developing his skills in interior design or architecture.

“I heard that Institut Teknologi Bandung is famous for its courses on artwork and architectural design. I want to learn about it and apply it for my final project at UBD once I complete the programme,” he said.

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Meanwhile, Nur Atikah said she wants to explore more learning opportunities outside of UBD.

Offered by Indonesia’s Ministry of Education and Culture in cooperation with its Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the non-degree scholarship is open to over 750 students around the globe for two semesters, during which they can study Indonesian language, arts, music, and crafts at one of 54 Indonesian higher education institutions.

The Darmasiswa programme aims to promote interest in the language and culture of Indonesia among youth of other countries. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)