Orient - The Official Magazine of the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore - Issue 72 June 2019
Matters of Opinion: Opportunities for Education
Opportunities for education and lifelong learning are thriving in Singapore, as they are in the UK. As a service provider in these sectors, what are the key trends, challenges and opportunities for you this year? What can the two countries learn from each other to provide a well-rounded education for students of all ages?
Dr Ben Schmidt, Regional Director, Southeast Asia & Pacific, Cambridge International
“In our work with more than 600 international schools in Southeast Asia, we emphasise three educational principles that inform the Cambridge Pathway, leading from Primary Checkpoint to IGCSE to International AS & A Levels:
(1) Learning to Learn. Students are engaged in ‘visible learning’, which means they are taught to reflect on and talk about their learning processes. This kind of metacognition results in lasting improvements to learning itself.
(2) A broad and flexible curriculum. Students value access to a broad range of subjects, including the many language syllabuses on offer, and the flexibility to create curriculum pathways that suit their individual strengths.
(3) Integration of knowledge and skills. As students progress along the Cambridge Pathway they develop deep subject knowledge that is integrated with conceptual understanding and higher order thinking skills. They take ownership of their learning and develop transferable skills, including critical thinking, research and collaboration.”
Professor Matt Bentley, CEO & Dean, Newcastle University in Singapore
“Singapore and the UK share many of the great societal challenges, particularly in ageing, sustainable transport and cybersecurity. At the same time, Newcastle University is recognised for excellence in these fields and hosts the UK’s National Innovation Centre for Ageing (NICA) and the National Innovation Centre for Data (NICD) in a state-of-the-art building ‘the Helix’ on Newcastle’s campus. In Singapore, Newcastle University, through the Newcastle Research & Innovation Institute (NewRIIS), provides a suite of postgraduate courses, including in Energy and Sustainability, Marine Technology, and Process Safety and Risk Management, whilst access to world-class expertise in Newcastle and in Singapore facilitates the provision of state of the art CPD and lifelong learning. Tailored specifically to meet the needs of Singapore, these include Liquified Natural Gas and Gas Development, Smart Grids and Data Visualisation: Tools and Techniques and illustrate perfectly how we are able to respond to the need for upskilling the Singaporean workforce.”