This is the label on my mailbox at UBD. Note the proliferation of titles at the start. I personally asked to have my name preceded by no titles; but I was overuled.
My own preference is to avoid titles entirely. I judge my colleagues on their teaching, their scholarship, and their interaction with students and colleagues, and the existence of fancy titles has little bearing on any of those. Furthermore, some of my UBD colleagues have a PhD while others do not, and there are also a range of different professional ranks among people who are working closely together. Use of titles seems to me to create barriers between colleagues who are jointly striving to achieve the same objectives: to teach well and to conduct and publish good research.However, I have to accept that rank, and its manifestation in terms of titles, is an integral part of Brunei society. And it is not appropriate to try and import my own liberal, western ideas of equality in a society where they may not be suited. Furthermore, I need to remember that some of the peace and stability of Brunei society that I benefit so much from originates from the respect for tradition that is found here.
I guess I should just learn to accept the titles that tend to be used together with my name when I am in Brunei.
