Empowering Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity
EDI-Brunei is committed to advancing gender equality, diversity, and inclusion within Brunei’s higher education sector. Through collaborative research, policy development, and targeted capacity-building, we aim to create equitable academic environments that reflect Brunei’s cultural values and support the progression of all learners, regardless of gender, ability, or background.
Our Mission
Our Vision
We envision a higher education system in Brunei where inclusivity is not just a principle but a lived reality. Our goal is to foster institutions that embrace diversity of thought and identity, remove systemic barriers, and empower students and staff alike to contribute, lead, and thrive in an environment grounded in equity and respect.
Why This Project Is Needed
Brunei Darussalam has achieved commendable educational milestones, including near-universal literacy and notably high enrolment rates in higher education. Women in Brunei, in particular, have excelled academically, comprising approximately 59% of university enrolments, a significant accomplishment indicating progress towards gender parity in education (Shahrill & Yacob, 2021). Despite this achievement, translating educational success into equitable participation in the labour market remains a critical challenge. Women represent only around 40% of Brunei’s labour force and hold approximately 37% of leadership positions in the private sector (ASEAN Secretariat, 2021; The Scoop, 2021). Moreover, political representation remains limited, with women occupying just 11.8% of parliamentary seats in Brunei Darussalam, one of the lowest rates in the ASEAN region (UN Women, 2023).
This discrepancy between academic achievement and professional advancement highlights a deeper, systemic issue rooted in socio-cultural norms and structural constraints. Traditional gender roles and expectations continue to assign primary caregiving responsibilities to women, restricting their availability and mobility in the professional landscape (JIL, 2019). Additionally, essential support infrastructure—such as affordable childcare services and accessible public transport—is limited, further constraining women's capacity to actively engage in sustained professional roles (OECD, 2021). Unequal compensation and restricted pathways for career advancement exacerbate these challenges, perpetuating a persistent gender pay gap and underrepresentation in senior decision-making roles (UN Women, 2023).
A further compounding factor is the scarcity of comprehensive gender-disaggregated data on education and employment outcomes in Brunei. Effective gender-responsive policies require robust, systematic data collection, yet significant gaps remain in the monitoring and reporting of key gender indicators within the education-to-employment pipeline (UN Women, 2023). The absence of clear, evidence-based metrics significantly hampers the ability of institutions and policymakers to understand, diagnose, and effectively address these gender inequities.
Recognising these challenges, the EDI-Brunei-HE project emerges as an essential strategic intervention aligned with Brunei’s broader national vision—Wawasan Brunei 2035—which explicitly prioritises education, economic diversification, and the meaningful participation of women in national development (Shahrill & Yacob, 2021). Furthermore, Brunei’s national strategies also align closely with international commitments under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) (UN, 2023).
Through comprehensive research, stakeholder engagement, and capacity-building activities, the EDI-Brunei-HE project will systematically address these identified barriers. It will establish robust frameworks for collecting gender-disaggregated data, benchmark institutional GEDI practices against regional and global standards, and develop targeted capacity-building resources designed explicitly to promote inclusivity in higher education. Additionally, by designing and implementing mentorship and leadership programs aimed at women and minority groups within academia, this initiative aims to foster transformative institutional cultures that actively support gender equity and inclusivity.
The significance of this project lies in its integrated, evidence-driven approach that moves beyond merely increasing educational access to creating a higher education ecosystem where gender equality and diversity are institutionalised as foundational principles.
References:
ASEAN Secretariat (2021). Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in ASEAN’s Higher Education. ASEAN. Available at: https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Gender-Equality-Diversity-and-Inclusion-in-ASEANs-Higher-Education_05.2022.pdf [Accessed 29 June 2025].
Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training (JIL) (2019). Gender Issues and Employment in Southeast Asia. JIL. Available at: https://www.jil.go.jp/english/jli/documents/2019/017-05.pdf [Accessed 29 June 2025].
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2021). The Economic Empowerment of Women in ASEAN. OECD. Available at: https://www.oecd.org/southeast-asia/ [Accessed 29 June 2025].
Shahrill, M., and Yacob, J. (2021). ‘Envisioning the Developments and Trajectories on the Future of Higher Education in Brunei Darussalam’, in Higher Education in Southeast Asia and Beyond. Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351051341_Envisioning_the_Developments_and_Trajectories_on_the_Future_of_Higher_Education_in_Brunei_Darussalam [Accessed 29 June 2025].
The Scoop (2021). More Bruneian women in managerial jobs, but political participation lowest in ASEAN. Available at: https://thescoop.co/2021/03/08/report-more-bruneian-women-in-managerial-jobs-but-political-participation-lowest-in-asean/ [Accessed 29 June 2025].
UN Women (2023). Country Profile: Brunei Darussalam. UN Women Data Hub. Available at: https://data.unwomen.org/country/brunei-darussalam [Accessed 29 June 2025].
United Nations (UN) (2023). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). United Nations. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals [Accessed 29 June 2025].