Bruneians now prefer Asian universities

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: More Bruneian students are opting for universities in Asia as they are becoming more realistic in their expectations on furthering their studies.

Local higher education agencies have noted an increasing number of Bruneian students opting for Asian universities, representing a shift from the traditional preference for Western institutions.

Speaking to The Brunei Times, the General Manager of James Hon Marketing and Management Delon Hon said that more students are opting for universities in Asia as they are becoming more realistic in their expectations on furthering their studies.

Hon said that the move towards the east was also fuelled by the decreasing chances of landing government scholarships, which are traditionally geared towards students who have been accepted into top universities in the United Kingdom.

Another local higher education agent located in the capital, who declined to be named for privacy reasons, echoed the sentiments of Bruneians looking eastward.

“For the Bruneian students who come to us in particular, many are increasingly looking at Asian universities, in particular the ones in South Korea and Taiwan, which have become quite popular destinations in recent years,” she said.

“What also helps the popularity of these countries is that they are giving out scholarships for students in Brunei as well, especially South Korea and China recently,” she said.

“Especially in the case of South Korea, students here are quite excited about the lifestyle and culture there as Korean pop culture has a huge following around the world,” she said. — The Brunei Times / Asia News Network