INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES (IGS)

FEASIBILITY STUDY
REPORT
OPENING OF A NEW BRANCH FOR THE COLLEGE
IN BELAIT DISTRICT
REGINA GOH
8/8/2016

This report has been prepared for Research and Development Department of International College of
Graduate Studies (IGS) College 2016.
Introduction

In line with the college’s aim of wanting to explore opportunities and increase its
competitiveness and stature in Brunei, an idea of setting up a branch of the college in the Belait
District was proposed. This is also in respond to the increasing expansion and development in the
said district. Furthermore, the number of students studying in the college located in Brunei
Muara district has been expanding. Additionally, there have been difficulties for those who study
in the college having had to commute over a long distance particularly those who are part time
students who had to commute late at night. Therefore the idea of setting up another branch in a
district like Belait was being seriously considered.

In the last few years, population within Brunei has been increasingly being employed to work in
Belait District which is located at least 50km away from the main district of Brunei Muara. Due
to the increasing job opportunities and industries particularly in the oil and gas sector, many had
to commute far to work and had to move to the said district to fulfil their job duties. Some
students within the college had shared that they had to live within the main district while
working in the Belait District while others from Belait District had to work either in their own
district of origin or having had to commute to main district. Either way, feasibility and
practicality seems to be for naught. As such, IGS College is hoping that a branch in Belait
District can help alleviate the burden that befell these students.

Objectives

This survey carried out was a pilot one, objectified to putting into trial this survey in estimating
how realistic and how possible if a main large scale survey is to be made. This is to make sure
that any errors made during the pilot survey are taken into note. Basically, to make sure realistic
and achievable steps are to be made in a pilot research study such as this to achieve the main
primary purpose of expanding the college to another district.

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Secondly, estimating if the idea of expansion of the college is feasible or not based upon the
results obtained from the said pilot survey. Positive results shall give a healthy indication that a
large main survey would be worthwhile to be carried out.

Methodologies

The pilot survey was carried out in the form of questionnaires with a mixed of close and open-
ended questions. The survey questions were formulated and assessed as well as revised to make
sure the questions were relevant and right to be asked. It was carried out within 1-2 weeks time
span and distributed to various respondents. Majority of these respondents consisted of students
within the college.

After distribution, questions of highest relevance were selected and prioritised. Collections of
questionnaires made were then calculated the results obtained manually. All the results of the
prioritised questions were compiled and analyse. Total respondents were 43.

Findings

Firstly, the findings of the survey were only on the questions deemed as higher priority. The
results of the findings of these questions are illustrated and depicted below:

No Response
Multi Response
Company Edn Fund
Govn't in Service Program
1
6
1 Personal Loan
Part A Question 8 2
0
25 Govn't Scholarship
3
5 Education Loan
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 Self Funded

Figure 1 : If you are given chances to pursue your education, would you choose the following options?

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 Results

Yes
No
No Response

32

Figure 2: Do You Prefer to Study in Brunei?

Choices of Institution
14
12
12
10
8 7
6 5
4 3 Choice of Institution
2 2 2 2
2
0 0 0 0 0
0

Figure 3: If you happen to study in Brunei, which is your preferred institution?

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 Choices of District
Multi response 4

No response 4

Temburong 1

Tutong 2 Choices of District

Belait 8

Brunei Muara 24

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Figure 4: If you happen to study in Brunei, where do you prefer the place of education?

Why study outside Brunei?

16 14
14 12
12
10 8
8 6
6 4
4 3
2 1 1
0 0
0 Why study outside Brunei?

Figure 5: Why would you choose to study outside of Brunei?

5
 How you get info about KIGS?
18 17
16 15
14
12
10 9
8
6
4 How you get info about KIGS?
2 1 1
0 0 0
0

Figure 6: How do you generally get a source of information about IGS College?

Preference for New Branch outside main

district

Yes
No

36

Figure 7: Do you prefer if the new branch of IGS College is to be set up outside of Brunei Muara district?

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 Where preference for new branch to be set
up?
30
25
25

20

15
Where preference for new
10 8 branch to be set up?
5 4
5 2
0
Tutong Belait Temburong No Multi
Response Response

Figure 8: Where do you prefer the new branch of IGS College is to be setup?

Discussions

From Figure 1, it is quite obvious where more than half of total of 43 respondents chose
Government Scholarship as most preferred funding source shall they were given the opportunity
to further their studies. In this case, it can be said that respondents are interested in pursuing
his/her studies though may not be financially sound or risking themselves by taking out private
loans. Thus if government could finance education, they would more than gladly to accept.

From Figure 2, an overwhelming majority of 32 out of total respondents of 43 do prefer to study

locally within Brunei. In this circumstance, perhaps majority would be attracted by local factors
rather than overseas factor.

From Figure 3, 12 respondents chose our own KIGS College followed by UBD with 7
respondents. There is not much overwhelming result for any particular institution for this
question though this can be attributed to familiarity of the institution including the facilities

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provided by the institution that could attract the respondent. Furthermore, the respondents might
belong to the locality of the choice made to this question.

From Figure 4, 24 respondents preferred to have the institution in Brunei Muara district and this
is followed by Belait with 8. This can be due to the fact that the respondents in majority are the
native resident if that particular geographical location including being familiar to the said
geographical area. Additionally, there is possibility that the respondents could be working in that
particular location and is willing to pursue his/her studies after working hours in the choice of
district.

From Figure 5, many chose new experience as the reason to study outside Brunei. This is
followed by multiple responses made to this survey question. As such majority could be risk
takers who wanted to explore new ways for his/her future.

From Figure 6, majority source of information about the college from word of mouth and this is
followed by multi responses made. Therefore, this depicted loyal customers to the college.
Perhaps even that the advertisement uploaded in the media is very effective that influence the
loyal customers and other people in the society to talk about the programmes. Multi response
shows that other means of source of information are also viable for the respondents.

Figure 7 showed a majority of respondents at 36 out of 43 are in support of setting up the college
branch outside the main district of Brunei Muara. Therefore, the respondents are agreeable to the
college in finding new location for starting of a new branch.

Final Figure 8 illustrated that most respondents preferred the new branch for the college to be set
up in the Belait District. This can be attributed to the fact that the choice of location selected for
the respondent has some advantages for the respondent and as well as for the college to open the
college in Belait District.

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Recommendations

It seems that the signs of opening new branch of the college in Belait District seem to be healthy
where many preferred to study in Brunei and that they are overwhelmingly in support of opening
a new branch in Belait District. However, it would be good if the number of respondents was
higher and that the questions in the survey were trimmed down only to these prioritised questions
to make the respondents answer the questions easily and quickly. Furthermore, if there are better
ways to collect and compile the results from the survey quickly would be good.

Nonetheless, the results shows that we can carry out a large scale survey but from people of
overwhelmingly originated from Belait District. This is so that the clash of choices of answers
was not there and more aligning. For example, majority wanted choice of district to be Brunei
Muara yet overwhelming wanted to set up a branch outside this district and specifically in Belait
District. Additionally, we need to also look into other colleges that had set up their branch in the
said district and make an evaluation of their success there, particularly in terms of the
programmes they had offered and the number of students enrolling to them.

Conclusion

The survey carried out shows it is worthwhile to carry out survey in a large scale and in a more
serious manner though the survey can and should be more precise and concise. Selective
respondents should also be made including the precision of questions and answers made. A more
systematic approach would guarantee a more successful result of the survey.

Moreover, from the respondents’ answers, there is a healthy chance that the college should open
a new branch in the Belait District though in doing so, a more concrete approach for determining
this choice needed to be made.