The tie-up for a medical school was established to help Brunei develop nursing professionals for its healthcare system.
Recently, the first batch of graduates of the JPMC College of Health Sciences (JCHS) held their convocation at the International Convention Centre in Brunei Darussalam, which was led by Brunei Minister of Health Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohammad Isham bin Haji Jaafar, who also serves as chairman of JCHS.
The said school is operated through a partnership between the Philippines’ Far Eastern University (FEU) and Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC), the premier hospital in Brunei.
In his address, the minister described the occasion as a historic milestone for both JCHS and nursing education in Brunei Darussalam.
The official underscored the need for a skilled, resilient and future-ready healthcare workforce as medical science, digital technology, and patient needs continue to evolve.
“Today, you receive more than a qualification. You accept a responsibility. Every patient you care for, every family you comfort and every life you touch will reflect the values of your profession, this institution and our nation,” he said, further stressing that clinical competence must remain grounded in integrity, compassion, and professionalism.
Also present atbthe event were Board of Trustees of JCHS Second Minister of Finance Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah, Deputy Minister of Education Yang Mulia Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Norarfan bin Haji Zainal, and FEU President Juan Miguel Montinola.
For his part, Montinola stated, “It is always very heartwarming to attend all our graduations. This one is especially gratifying because it is FEU’s nursing curriculum, delivered in Brunei by FEU-deployed faculty working together with our partner, JPMC, to increase the number of nursing professionals for local positions while also equipping them with qualifications for opportunities abroad.”
Others who were also in attendance include the outgoing Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to Brunei Darussalam, Marian Jocelyn Tirol-Ignacio, and FEU Chairman of the Board of Trustees Aurelio Montinola III, together with healthcare leaders, faculty members, and the graduates’ families.
In her speech, Valedictorian Nurin Natasha Khairina Haji Hassan expressed the need for trust between a nurse and a patient.
“Because one day, when a patient looks at us and sees their nurse, they will not see the years of challenges we faced that brought us here. They will simply see someone they trust. And that trust is the greatest responsibility we will carry,” she said.
The inaugural convocation gave JCHS its first alumni and added a new group of locally trained nurses to Brunei’s healthcare workforce.
This partnership was established to strengthen Brunei’s healthcare workforce by developing competent, compassionate, and future-ready nurses for the country’s evolving healthcare needs.
Through this, the FEU nursing curriculum is delivered at JCHS in Brunei through FEU-deployed faculty.
This is supported by FEU’s Commission on Higher Education (CHED) Transnational Branch Permit and Certificate of Authority, which complies with Republic Act No. 11448 (Transnational Higher Education Act).
Meanwhile, the partnership between FEU and JPMC also supports Wawasan Brunei 2035, which seeks to build a highly educated and skilled population, improve quality of life, and sustain national development.
