HIS Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, the Chancellor of Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB), yesterday consented to award 430 graduates with Bachelor’s degrees and diplomas at the university’s Convocation Ceremony 2013.

Also present at the ceremony held at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Berakas was HRH Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince and Senior Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office who was also installed as the Pro-Chancellor of ITB during the event.

His Majesty awarded Bachelor’s degrees to 62 graduates from the first intake of ITB’s undergraduate degree programmes and Higher National Diplomas to 368 graduates from intake 26 of the various Brunei Darussalam Technical and Vocational Education Council (BDTVEC) HND programmes in Engineering, Business and Computing.

Earlier, His Majesty was greeted upon arrival by the Minister of Education, Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong and the Acting Vice-Chancellor of ITB, Associate Professor Dr Hajah Zohrah binti Haji Sulaiman.

The ceremony started with a Surah Al-Fatihah recitation led by the State Mufti, Pehin Datu Seri Maharaja Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz (Dr) Haji Awang Abdul Aziz bin Juned.

The grand procession of the Chancellor then followed with the Bentara bearing a Mushaf Al-Quran leading the procession.

During the event, Surah Al-Baqarah, verses 267 to 270 were recited by Ak Hafizul ‘Ilmi bin Pg Hj Marjuki, a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) undergraduate in Electrical and Communications Engineering programme.

Meanwhile, Muhd Hazwan bin Hj Abdul Latif, an undergraduate in the Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering programme read the lessons learned from the verses.

ITB began offering undergraduate degree programmes as a university in 2009. The programmes are Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Electrical and Communication Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Internet Computing and Bachelor of Business (Hons) in Business Information Technology.

The Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Petroleum Engineering and the Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Chemical Engineering articulation programmes with the University of South Wales, Australia also commenced in ITB the same year.

ITB now offers 20 undergraduate degree programmes and graduate programmes leading to Masters and PhD.

Specially-designed furniture set and new academic robes were also used for the first time in this year’s historic convocation.

Before leaving the ceremony yesterday, His Majesty was greeted by hundreds of ITB graduates who did not want to miss the opportunity to have photo opportunities with their beloved monarch. - Borneo Bulletin (29 November 2013)