How Brunei Is Training the Next Generation of VR Business Leaders

Three decades ago, the rise of the Internet created a new avenue for cross-border communication, collaboration, commerce, and cultural exchange. Now, immersive technology is poised to do the same, through programs such as the Virtual Brunei Initiative (VBI), a training program for Bruneian youth to develop digital skills with the goal of creating an immersive virtual representation of Brunei. This program serves as an example of how small nation-states can use immersive technology to empower students with useful skills while supporting cross-cultural exchange.

The Virtual Brunei Initiative (VBI) is a 14-week training program in virtual reality (VR) game design and programming hosted by the U.S. Embassy in Brunei Darussalam, the Serious Games Institute at George Mason University, and Company E, a Washington-based arts organization focused on immersive world-building and international collaboration. The program also utilizes local partners in Brunei, including Brunei Innovation Lab, Universiti Teknologi Brunei, and the Ministry of Education.

Since the program began in 2025, its primary outcomes have been student-created VR simulations showcasing aspects of Brunei’s local culture, such as culinary traditions and tourist destinations. These simulations enable tourists to experience historic and natural heritage sites without the financial, physical, or logistical constraints that may hinder real-life travel to Brunei. These experiences were incorporated into the SuperMuseum, a VR experience developed by Company E and the U.S. Department of State, allowing users to explore digital spaces representing various locales. As a result, the program not only equips students with digital skills to build virtual experiences but also advances Brunei’s tourism sector.

VBI is part of the U.S. Embassy of Brunei’s Vision 2035, a set of goals aimed at stimulating Brunei’s economic growth. The program provides students with new skills in building VR apps and programs, as well as networking opportunities with U.S. companies and technologists. These skills and connections can foster entrepreneurship opportunities, supported by government-backed institutions such as iCentre, DARe, the Brunei Economic Development Board, KHub, and the Brunei Innovation Lab, which promote local businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups while facilitating training programs similar to VBI. These institutions provide the connective tissue supporting Brunei’s broader digital economy goals.

In this respect, Brunei’s scale makes it especially well-suited to experimentation with programs such as VBI. Small states face real constraints, but they also have advantages. With a smaller population and fewer actors, coordination across institutions may be more manageable, and there may be a greater opportunity to align national priorities, local implementation, and international partnerships. VBI exemplifies this approach as a public-private partnership, with government institutions providing funding and diplomatic reach, academic institutions contributing student talent and research capabilities, and local companies supplying cutting-edge technical knowledge and tools.

With VBI, Brunei has demonstrated how smaller nations can merge local cultural talents and emerging technology to create new opportunities for both youth development and economic growth.