On 6 September 2017, Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) received a boost in its talent training efforts, with the sealing of a partnership with International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore) – a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) that promotes international trade and partners Singapore companies to go global.
Professor Tsui Kai Chong, Provost of SUSS; and Mr Lee Ark Boon, Chief Executive Officer of IE Singapore, were the signatories of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which will see SUSS and IE Singapore collaborate on the Certificate/Minor programme in International Trade.
This partnership will see the creation of a talent pipeline equipped with the relevant academic certification and industry exposure for functional skillsets in the Wholesale Trade sector. SUSS and IE Singapore will cooperate in areas including the joint development of the programme curriculum with the industry to cover the critical trading skills, as well as emerging skills such as digitalisation, and the enabling of skills application through enhanced internships with local and foreign progressive trading companies.
This MOU signing was one of several which took place during the Wholesale Trade Industry Transformation Map Launch event, entitled 'Digitalisation Of Trade – New Mindsets, New Skillsets'. Held at the NTUC Centre Auditorium, the event attracted over 300 participants, including senior management of wholesale trade-related companies, representatives from unions, associations and government agencies, and academics, who were there to network and hear from the panellists of the plenary session.
Guest-of-honour Mr S. Iswaran, Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), presented the keynote address and also witnessed the various agreement signings.
The signatories and witness of the MOU signings (from left): Professor Tsui Kai Chong, Provost of SUSS; Mr Lee Ark Boon, Chief Executive Officer of IE Singapore; Minister S. Iswaran; Mr Teo Siong Seng, Chairman of Singapore Business Federation and Ms Looi Mei Fong, Deputy Principal of Ngee Ann Polytechnic.