Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 20 September 2023 – The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and Embassy Education, the first creative education ecosystem in Vietnam, have joined hands to co-launch the inaugural SUSS – Embassy Education Success Academy in Ho Chi Minh City today.
The Academy will serve as a key nexus for academic and industry partners in Singapore and Vietnam to catalyse partnerships geared towards unlocking new experiential learning and real-world training opportunities for students and professionals alike. Grounded on the SUSS commitment to lifelong learning and creating social impact, the Academy will also groom well-rounded future leaders who can excel and make positive contributions in the rapidly evolving world.
The launch was held at the North London Collegiate School Ho Chi Minh City campus today, in a ceremony witnessed by Mr Roy Kho, Singapore Consul-General in Ho Chi Minh City. Over 40 guests from both countries including representatives from institutions of higher learning, industry and community partners attended the event.
The Academy will offer two tracks: Personal Success and Professional Success, to unlock individual potential and cultivate mindsets for lifelong learning.
Through the Academy in Ho Chi Minh City, SUSS seeks to expand and elevate cross-learning and entrepreneurial journeys for students from SUSS, as well as polytechnics or other pre-tertiary institutes in Singapore, to co-learn and co-innovate with their Vietnamese peers. They will be immersed in various comprehensive programmes, such as experiential learning courses, student exchanges and internships to gain professional experience in the region.
One key initiative is the Impact Start-Up Challenge (ISC), a credit-bearing course that offers a platform for students from Singapore and Vietnam to learn together, experience the start-up ecosystem and work collaboratively to generate ideas, test and pivot their proposal in a real-world setting. ISC Ho Chi Minh City will kickstart in July 2024 in collaboration with Van Lang University, based on the theme of sustainability. Drawing from SUSS expertise, the first run of the course will focus on entrepreneurship and ideation that translate into positive social impact.
The Academy in Ho Chi Minh City will also collaborate with industry partners for work attachments, internships and Industry-Based Study Programmes (IBSP). An SUSS signature programme, local IBSPs are co-designed and co-delivered with Vietnamese institutions such as FPT University and Fetch Technology Vietnam, to allow Singapore students to learn and receive mentorship directly from practitioners in the industry.
In addition, the Academy will also leverage the SUSS expertise in adult and workplace learning to create professional training and development solutions. Executive and graduate programmes by SUSS will be made directly available to industry partners in Vietnam. SUSS will also partner with local institutions to customise training programmes to boost their capability growth for the future.
Professor Robbie Goh, Provost of SUSS, said, “The SUSS curriculum is designed to enrich the student experience with opportunities such as overseas experiential learning stints. Today’s launch of our first SUSS Success Academy in Vietnam is the first important step in our plans for the region. With the help of our trusted and invaluable partners like Embassy Education, we will build a strategic network of alliances that will extend our influence and impact, for the benefit of both our students as well as the societies in the region.”
As a strategic partner for SUSS, Embassy Education has consistently demonstrated a dedication to social impact and transformative education. The group established the first official Reggio Emilia Approach® Pre-School and the first North London Collegiate School K-12 (NLCS HCMC) in Vietnam, as well as the Special Em’s Education Centre (SEEC) for students with autism. Embassy Education has also been involved in creative industries and youth development in Vietnam including the setting up of Soul Music & Performing Arts Academy (SMPAA) in Ho Chi Minh City.
Mr Thanh Bui, Founder and Chairman of Embassy Education said, "I believe in the power of education to transform lives and society. We are honoured to be working with the Singapore University of Social Sciences, where through our joint Success Academy, we aim to provide students with practical knowledge and relevant industry skills that will prepare them for the ever-changing workplace and assist them navigating and innovating the future world. This partnership will be our first venture into the tertiary space and this creates a continuum of education pathways from early years, K-12, and beyond.”
Collaborating with industry partners in Singapore and Vietnam ensures that students are equipped with the most relevant skills. For example, SUSS currently offers the Venture Builder Programme, in collaboration with FPT University and Swinburne University. For the inaugural run this year, 12 trainees from 10 teams worked with local incubators and accelerators in Vietnam, such as Songhan Incubator, Enouvo Space, Hi-Tech Park Incubator, DNES and Enable Startup, to learn how to set up a company in Vietnam, adapt their ideas to the local market, and meet potential partners, customers and investors.
SUSS is actively extending its regional educational circle by launching the inaugural Success Academy in Vietnam and across Asia. The Academy will soon open in China, with plans to expand into Indonesia and Thailand next year.
For more information, visit: www.suss.edu.sg/success-academy.