Minister of Education Datin Seri Setia Dr Romaizah Mohd Salleh (left) at the event. - SIM Y H
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: The innovation landscape is transforming rapidly across South-East Asia, said assistant vice-chancellor of Industry Engagement and Enterprise Development (IEED) and chairperson of the International Higher Education Summit and Exhibition on Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialisation (IHEEIC 2025) Committee Dr Masairol Masri.
He also added that innovation flourishes when education and enterprise are seamlessly integrated, and stressed, “We must become key enablers of innovation, technology transfer, and research commercialisation that create tangible and lasting impact.”
The region’s digital economy has grown from USD12 billion in 2016 to over USD100 billion in 2023, an eight-fold increase within a decade and more than 70 million micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) employ about 85 per cent of Asean’s workforce, supported by one of the world’s youngest and most entrepreneurial populations, over 700 million people, nearly half under the age of 30, he said during the IHEEIC 2025 on Tuesday (Nov 11).
Dr Masairol affirmed that, “This summit is more than a conference – it is a collective commitment to redefine the role of higher education in shaping our future.”
Meanwhile, Minister of Education Datin Seri Setia Dr Romaizah Mohd Salleh officiating the event, emphasised the critical role of entrepreneurship and innovation in advancing national economic diversification and sustainable development.
Organised by Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) through the Office of the Assistant Vice-Chancellor for IEED and supported by the Office of the Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Sustainability, the two-day summit represents a milestone for higher education innovation in the country and the South-East Asian region.
It convened leaders from academia, industry, government and the entrepreneurial ecosystem to advance innovation-driven development through higher education.
Supported by the Ministry of Education, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Asean University Network for University Innovation and Enterprise (AUN-UIE), the summit carries the theme ‘Higher Education at the Crossroads: Empowering the Triple Engine of Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Commercialisation’.
The programme included two keynote addresses, four panel discussions, a roundtable discussion for higher education leaders co-drafting a ‘Brunei Innovation and Entrepreneurship Initiative’ framework, a mentor hot seat, a UNDP public youth dialogue, the Venture Pitch Award, and an innovation festival. – Borneo Bulletin/ANN
