"No matter how small we are, we still have a role to play within ASEAN and also within the Greater Bay Area," stated Dr. Hazri Kifle, Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), emphasizing his nation's commitment to strengthening its partnership with China.
Dr. Kifle made these remarks in an interview following his participation in the Southeast Asia Forum 2025 International Conference, held this November at South China Normal University (SCNU) in Guangzhou. He acknowledged Brunei's need to boost its profile, noting that its size often leads to low recognition, particularly among China's younger generation. He identified academic exchange as a key pathway to greater visibility and mutual benefit.
Hazri Kifle, Vice-Chancellor of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), is interviewed by South (Photo: Guo Zedong)
The Vice-Chancellor outlined a vision for collaboration that is both reciprocal and ambitious. He expressed a strong desire for Bruneian students and researchers to learn from China's advancements in cutting-edge fields. "China is the world's leading country in terms of engineering, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation," Dr. Kifle said. "So we would like to benefit from it by allowing our students and researchers to learn from China."
At the same time, he highlighted specific areas where UBD and Brunei possess unique expertise to offer Chinese partners. A primary example is biodiversity research. Describing Brunei's rainforests as the "Amazon of Asia" and "the lungs of the world," Dr. Kifle pointed to the rich, untapped potential for discovering and commercializing new resources from its flora and fauna, including for pharmaceuticals. He also cited Islamic banking and finance as a growing field of interest for international students, including those from China.
While student exchange programs with Hong Kong and joint research initiatives with Chinese institutions are already underway, Dr. Kifle admitted the current number of Chinese students in Brunei is "very small." He revealed an aspiration to welcome hundreds of Chinese students for full-time degree programs, from undergraduate to PhD levels. He particularly praised the academic ethos of Chinese students, stating, "What I want them to bring to Brunei is a hunger for knowledge. I can see that Chinese students are very well-disciplined, eager to learn, and very hardworking. I hope they bring this culture to our students in Brunei."
Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei (Photo: CFP)
This push for deeper educational links dovetails with broader bilateral efforts. Recent commitments between China and Brunei focus on enhancing investment and trade cooperation, leveraging platforms like the Guangxi-Brunei Economic Corridor to boost collaboration in sectors like food, downstream oil and gas, tourism, and ICT.
For Dr. Kifle, the ultimate goal of academic cooperation extends beyond the campus. "The goal is for us to see how industries in China are able or keen to come to Brunei and support the development of industries here," he concluded, positioning universities as vital bridges for fostering lasting economic and industrial partnerships between the two nations.
Reporter: Guo Zedong
Text & Video script: Guo Zedong
Cameraman: Guo Zedong
Video editor: Guo Honda
Poster: Lai Meiya
Editor: Yuan Zixiang, Ou Xiaoming, James Campion, Shen He
