Singapore, November 26, 2020 – The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) today signed an agreement with the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS) to build stronger capabilities for event management practitioners through the joint development of training courses. The partnership is a shot in the arm for the meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions (MICE) industry, which has been badly hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agreement was inked by Professor Attallah Samir, Dean of School of Science and Technology, SUSS, and Mr Aloysius Arlando, President of SACEOS. SACEOS will contribute to the overall curriculum and develop five new modules such as financial and risk management for events, trends and technologies for events, event ideation and conceptualisation for SUSS’s BSc Events Management with Minor programme. These new modules will prepare our students with practical skills and insights of real challenges emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic such as risk impact resulting from event cancellation and postponements, and effective systems thinking capabilities to solve complex problems.
This partnership aligns with the Event Industry Resilience Roadmap recently launched by SACEOS together with the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) and Enterprise Singapore (ESG). It is the world’s first roadmap for the MICE and Event industry whereby a key pillar is to build capabilities for the future to support livelihoods and enterprise resilience in the sector.
Dr Jonathan Leong, Head of Event Management Programme, School of Science and Technology, SUSS said, “There is opportunity in every crisis. The MICE industry has now become a borderless business. True to our applied learning approach, our students who are working adults will learn first-hand from our industry experts in the classroom. This collaboration will contribute towards a more creative and resilient MICE industry as our student learn to adapt and pivot as the pandemic evolves.”
Mr Arlando said: “This degree will be the first for the MICE industry conferred by a Singapore university, taking lessons learnt in managing COVID-19 and its risk-mitigating best practices. SACEOS look forward to curating and contributing to the rigor of the curriculum, injecting best-in-class global practices, adding practical case-studies so that a pipeline of future-ready professionals can be trained and better contribute to our industry of tomorrow.”
SUSS’s Bsc Events Management with Minor programme
The programme equips students with interdisciplinary skills and keep them up to speed on latest industry trends through SUSS’s extensive network of partners. For instance, students will be able to redesign events into a virtual or hybrid model, and implement latest safe management measures to run events effectively.
To keep up with digital transformation, the programme also weaves in online channel creation and management, virtual and augmented reality courses. In addition, the programme imbues versatile and portable skillset such as marketing, communication, critical and creative thinking as well as financial planning, which helps our students pursue successful and resilient career paths in the events or even adjacent industries.
Dr Leong said, “With this current pandemic, there is a greater need for collaboration, upskilling and upgrading. Our Events Management Programme adopts a digital pivot and multidisciplinary approach, providing students with a wide spectrum of skills and knowledge, which they can implement at their workplaces.”
SUSS’s Bsc Events Management with Minor programme will start in July 2021.
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Singapore University of Social Sciences
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Mr Tian Zhiyuan
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Singapore University of Social Sciences
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Ms Bita Seow
Executive Director
Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers
Email: bita@saceos.org.sg
About the Singapore University of Social Sciences
SUSS is a university with a rich heritage in inspiring lifelong education, and transforming society through applied social sciences. We develop work-ready graduates and work-adaptive alumni to their fullest potential through our 3H’s education philosophy – ‘Head’ for professional competency with applied knowledge, ‘Heart’ for social awareness to meet the needs of the society, and ‘Habit’ for passion towards lifelong learning.
We offer over 70 undergraduate and graduate programmes, available in full- and part-time study modes, which are flexible, modular and inter-disciplinary, catering to both fresh school leavers and adult learners. SUSS also offers a broad range of continuing education and training modular courses for the professional skills upgrading of Singapore’s workforce.
Our programmes and courses are offered by our five schools:
- S R Nathan School of Human Development
- School of Business
- School of Humanities and Behavioural Sciences
- School of Law
- School of Science and Technology
To date, over 35,000 graduates have experienced our unique brand of education, and each year, about 15,000 students are pursuing their full- and part-time studies with us.
The Institute for Adult Learning (IAL), as part of SUSS, leads in the field of research on adult learning to build capabilities of the training and adult education sector in Singapore and beyond.
For more information on SUSS, please visit www.suss.edu.sg.
About the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers
Set up in 1979, SACEOS is the Singapore Association for Convention Exhibitions Organisers and Suppliers– the trade association for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) industry. The association leads and represent the MICE communities to advance the capabilities and growth opportunities of the industry and serves through its mission to empower business, enrich capabilities and being an advocate for the industry.
For more information on SACEOS, please visit https://www.saceos.org.sg/