1st JCHS graduates mark FEU’s Brunei milestone

The first graduating class of JPMC College of Health Sciences celebrates the completion of its nursing education at the International Convention Centre in Brunei Darussalam. Photo by JCHS

The partnership between Far Eastern University (FEU) and Jerudong Park Medical Centre (JPMC), the premier hospital in Brunei, has produced the first batch of graduates of the JPMC College of Health Sciences (JCHS), which was established to help Brunei develop nursing professionals for its healthcare system.

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.

The FEU nursing curriculum is delivered at JCHS in Brunei through FEU-deployed faculty. This is supported by FEU's Commission on Higher Education Transnational Branch Permit and Certificate of Authority, affirming the University's compliance with Republic Act No. 11448, the Transnational Higher Education Act.

The convocation 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. In his address, the minister described the occasion as a historic milestone for both JCHS and nursing education in Brunei Darussalam.

He underscored the need for a skilled, resilient and future-ready healthcare workforce as medical science, digital technology, and patient needs continue to evolve. He also stressed that clinical competence must remain grounded in integrity, compassion, and professionalism.

“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.

“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,” said FEU President Juan Miguel R. Montinola.

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 significance of the recent convocation at the International Convention Centre in Brunei Darussalam was reflected in the presence of 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, FEU Chairman of the Board of Trustees Aurelio R. Montinola III, and FEU President Juan Miguel R. Montinola, together with Brunei government officials, healthcare leaders, faculty members, and the graduates’ families.

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. Preparing nurses locally helps strengthen the country’s healthcare workforce while giving graduates access to internationally benchmarked education.

The inaugural convocation gave JCHS its first alumni and added a new group of locally trained nurses to Brunei’s healthcare workforce.

Administrators of Far Eastern University and JPMC College of Health Sciences with Brunei Darussalam government and healthcare leaders during the inaugural convocation.

From left: FEU-IHSN Dean John Anthony Yason, JCHS Registrar Ainie Hamdan Fazilah, Her Excellency Marian Jocelyn R. Tirol-Ignacio, outgoing Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to Brunei Darussalam, FEU Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and JCHS Board of Director (BOD), Dr. Maria Teresa Trinidad P. Tinio, Yang Mulia Dr. Haji Azman bin Ahmad, Permanent Secretary (Higher Education), Ministry of Education, Brunei Darussalam, FEU Chairman Aurelio Montinola III, Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr. Haji Mohammad Isham bin Haji Jaafar, Minister, Ministry of Health Brunei Darussalam and Chairman of JCHS, Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew Abdullah, Second Minister, Ministry of Finance and Economy, JCHS BOD, FEU President and JCHS BOD, Juan Miguel R. Montinola, Senior Investment Manager at Darussalam Assets and Board Member of Several Government Linked Companies and JCHS BOD Sarwani Sarpuddin, Jerudong Park Medical Center (JPMC) Director of Nursing (DON) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Chung Yea Fui, JCHS Dean Rachelle Sarmiento, FEU Dean of Nursing Moira Uy, FEU Registrar Genesis John Borja