October 20, 2015

Talks consider expanding Singaporean connection

The CEO of Singapore’s leading private education provider who is also involved in a range of key workforce posts within his country, Dr Lee Kwok Cheong, paid a special visit to UOW today (October 20). 

Dr Lee, who is CEO of Singapore’s Institute of Management (SIM), met UOW Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings, and provided an update on SIM’s strategic priorities and the latest developments in the Singaporean higher education/private education sector. 

UOW has enjoyed a partnership with SIM for more than a decade in the areas of computer science and IT and more recently in psychology. UOW has been working with SIM Global since 2005 and has graduated more than 2,500 students. 

SIM Global is Singapore’s leading private education provider with more than 22,000 enrolled students studying across 70 degree programs. SIM global collaborates with the UK, US and Australian partners. 

UOW’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Global Strategy), Professor Joe Chicharo, is on the SIM Global International Advisory Panel and is currently in Singapore attending its annual meeting.

UOW is examining the possibility of expanding its program offerings into niche areas aligned with industry and government priorities in Singapore. 

Wollongong’s strong focus on employability of its graduates and its long-standing success in this area is closely aligned to the SIM Groups’ strategic focus on upgrading the skills and competencies of Singapore’s workforce. 

Dr Lee has a long list of impressive credentials from his home country. 

In 2010 he received the Public Service Medal of Singapore. Dr Lee was conferred the IT Person of the Year Award in 2000, Honorary Fellow in 2008 and Hall of Fame Award in 2011 by the Singapore Computer Society, the H.E.A.L.T.H. Leader Excellence Award from the Health Promotion Board in 2004, and the Special Recognition Award given by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts in 2006. 

Dr Lee now serves on the National Integration Council’s Working Group for Schools, as well as spearheading the establishment of the Singapore Association for Private Education for which he is the Founding President. He also sits on the boards of ITE Holding Pty Ltd, Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore and Nera Telecommunications Ltd.