To meet the demand for mid-career professionals augmenting their skills, Singapore Management University (SMU) launched a corporate training arm, SMU Academy, that will hone the skills of these persons.
During the launch of the academy, Ong Ye Kung, Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) said, “It is an example of how autonomous universities should extend their existing courses to adult learners by making programmes shorter, bite-sized, taking into account the competing demands on an adult learner's time, such as family and career.”
He also added, “Admission into the academy should as far as possible, be kept open to whoever needs the skills for work, so prior academic grades should not be the main determinant for admission. Instead, learners should be judged on their aptitude and interest through interviews, portfolios, or nomination by employers.”
The courses for mid-career professionals will focus both on developing functional skills across industries, as well as sector-customised competencies such as financial technology and innovation, blockchain technology, human capital management, and data protection and information security.
SMU Academy is offering modules that can be stacked towards master’s degrees conferred by SMU. Each module, available for at least three runs yearly, can be completed in three sessions over two weekday evenings and one full Saturday.
SMU Academy will also offer modules from the University's Master of Science in Innovation, Master of Human Capital Leadership, and Master of IT in Business programmes from June, this year. Some of these will be available as online modules to complement the face-to-face sessions.
The admission criteria listed on the school's website said diploma holders from a recognised polytechnic with at least three years of relevant working experience will be "favourably considered", along with applicants with a good bachelor's degree.