ELEVEN students undertaking the Master of Public Policy and Management (MPPM) course at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) will do their third semester in partner schools in the United States of America.
Four of them departed for the US last night from the Brunei International Airport.
The second batch of MPPM students to the US will do their course at various educational institutions including McCourt School of Public Policy, Georgetown University; School of Public Policy, University of Maryland; Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University; and Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley.
The cohort will also have a two-week study visit to Washington DC meeting people from key policy-making institutions including the House of Congress, policy thinktanks, and non-profit organisations.
One of the students, Mohammad Ede Fadle bin Haji Shamsu, who is currently working with the Prime Minister’s Office, will be continuing his studies at McCourt School of Public Policy.
Mohammad Ede looks forward to pursue his third semester in the US States and will be using this opportunity to broaden his knowledge in subjects related to public policy. “We will have opportunity to learn various subjects including statistics, research methods, administration as well as topics such as energy and the environment. I hope that once we complete our course, we can apply the best practises that we have learnt at our respective workplaces.”
He also hoped the second batch of students will give their best in terms of their studies and aim for excellent results as well as present a good image of Brunei while studying in a foreign land.
The MPPM is a unique inter-disciplinary programme that focuses on policy areas that are distinctive to Brunei Darussalam, namely: Islamic Governance, Energy Policy and Management, and Environmental Policy and Management.
It is an 18-month programme where students will spend 12 months at UBD and one semester at one of the Institute of Policy Studies’ (IPS) partner schools in the United States.
It was during the 7th East Asia Summit held in Phnom Penh on November 20, 2012, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam announced the establishment of 10 MPPM scholarships per year for members of East Asia Summit participating countries.
The first cohort of MPPM students successfully graduated in September 2015, with five of them receiving recognition as top achievers.
