BRUNEI DARUSSALAM, 9 December 2016 – The future generation has a very important role to play in shaping the nation and therefore they need to be nurtured.

The Asia-Pacific University-Community Engagement Network (APUCEN) President and also the Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) Vice-Chancellor, Professor Datuk Dr. Asma Ismail, said this in her opening speech at the National Youth Education Seminar at Kolej Universiti Perguruan Ugama Seri Begawan (KUPU SB), with the theme ‘Visionary Youths: Catalyst for Transformation’ here recently.

“To be able to lead a nation, the future generation needs to strike a balance between knowledge and character, and this can be achieved through education.

“There should be a flexible education, where the future generation will be able to work and at the same time has access to higher education. Universities need to change to make this possible; universities need to make sure that their degree programmes offer value and flexibility in order for the students to acquire living skills and have an entrepreneurial mindset,” she said.

Asma stressed that today’s youth have to face the 21^st century challenges that cannot be ignored, for example economy crisis, globalisation and fast digital pace. As such they need to be competitive in order to meet these challenges, and must be more involved in community activities and volunteerism.

“The future generation, born in the internet era, needs to know how to differentiate between what is right and what is wrong with the information overload from the internet.

“Therefore, education plays a very important role in guiding this generation to balance between knowledge and character towards forming a healthy generation and instill in them the values that build character in order for them to be able to give back to the society,” she said.

The seminar was graced by the presence of the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports, Negara Brunei Darussalam, YB Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohammad Yussof as the guest of honour as well as the Acting Ra’es of KUPU SB, Dr. Haji Adanan bin Haji Basar.

The seminar was attended by some 300 participants comprised of government officials, academics, students and APUCEN Council members.

The former President of APUCEN who is also the former Vice-Chancellor of USM, Professor Dato’ Dr. Omar Osman, gave the keynote speech entitled ‘The Megatrends, Youth Development and Higher Education”.

Original Text: Prof. Dr. Aileen Tan Shau Hwai
Editing: Tan Ewe Hoe
Photo: Prof. Dr. Aileen Tan Shau Hwai