incoRPorate - Issue 2 / 2013

Published for industry partners of Republic Polytechnic

ic Republic Polytechn School of Sports, Health and Leisure

Supporting partners on the fast track to success

News 04

Profile 14

News 06

Career Fair 2013 is RP’s most successful yet

Director of ACE@RP talks about lifelong learning

RP hosts Singapore’s biggest-ever Global Game Jam

2013 Issue No. 2

In this issue

Editor’s message

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elcome to our new look for incoRPorate. This issue is the debut of a redesigned, refreshed magazine, with new sections that highlight industry donations to Republic Polytechnic (RP) (‘Making a difference’, p9) and provide some light-hearted food for thought (‘Parting shots’, p15). We hope you like it.

We’ve also started a new electronic version of the magazine, available for download at www.rp.edu.sg/industry.

Do take a look, and let us know your feedback. We are always open to readers’ inputs, so if you have an article to contribute or suggestions on how to improve incoRPorate, please email us at help-occ@rp.edu.sg.

In this issue, we focus on Singapore’s growing sports and leisure industries.

Through hosting world-class sporting events like the Singapore Grand Prix, the Singapore Open and the Youth Olympic Games, Singapore is made known to the world. It is at the same time a source of economic growth for the city state. At RP, the School of Sports, Health and Leisure embarks on innovative research projects that can help to enhance the sports and leisure sector’s development. incoRPorate also interviews Mr Tan Huan Peow, Director of Academy for Continuing Education @RP, and finds out why it’s important to promote continuous lifelong learning.

Enjoy reading!

Adviser Seto Lok Yin Editor-in-Chief Ronald Wong Editors Josephine Teo & Joey Tang Editorial Assistant Eileen Chew

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14 Profile

News

Science Centre; Career Fair; World Event Young Artists; Global Game Jam 2013; Sennheiser Asia; Scientific Thinking Programme; Symbiosis; Singapore Youth Flying Club

Mr Tan Huan Peow, Director of RP Academy for Continuing Education, explains why it’s important to promote lifelong learning

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We sign off with some light-hearted food for thought

RP School of Sports, Health and Leisure offers capabilities that are sought after by industry partners. We take a look at some recent industrystandard projects

Publishing consultant Switch Writer Melissa de Villiers Design Fredrick Dittlau

Calendar

Ronald Wong

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10-11 May 22 May 28-30 May 4-6 June 2 August 23-24 August

15 Parting Shots

Momentum Dance Festival by The Republic Cultural Centre Underwater Robotics Olympiad by RP School of Engineering RP Graduation Ceremony The Media Challenge by RP Centre for Enterprise and Communication Aquaculture Industry Engagement Day by RP School of Applied Science IGNITE! Music Festival by The Republic Cultural Centre

incoRPorate is published by Switch (Registration No. 201025791H) for Republic Polytechnic. Views expressed in this magazine may not represent that of Republic Polytechnic or Switch.

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without permission is prohibited. Information is correct at time of print. May 2013.

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News

MOU signed with Science Centre Singapore Students to benefit from new partnership A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed between Republic Polytechnic (RP) and the Science Centre Singapore.

Effective for three years, the collaboration, agreed on 14 February, will provide exciting internship and final-year project opportunities for RP students. It will also engage students in Science Centre Singapore’s programmes and events, offering them valuable insights into the centre’s capabilities.

One example of a joint event of this kind is the Science and Mathematics Pursuit, an annual event for schools that nurtures scientific and mathematical thinking skills. In 2012, RP staff and the Science Centre Singapore worked together on a highly successful series of activities for school teams, helping students learn about science and mathematics in a competitive environment.

The Science Centre Singapore’s Chief Executive, Assistant Professor Lim Tit Meng told incoRPorate, “We are very pleased to partner with Republic Poly to provide opportunities for youths to engage in scientific activities that will help them develop a strong foundation in science. Our collaboration will allow them to experience real-world research and applications and give them a head start in the industry through internships and institutional links.”

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RP students with NTUC First Campus’ mascot

RP holds largestever career fair Job hunting becomes easier at Career Fair 2013 with exclusive recruitment portal for students

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ith global markets in a state of uncertainty, Republic Polytechnic (RP) is ensuring it gives its graduates the best shot at securing the right jobs.

February saw RP hold its largestever career fair, with 70 participating organisations registering to recruit from the polytechnic’s 2013 graduating class and alumni. This represents a 17 per cent increase on 2012’s fair and is more than fourfold the number of people who attended RP’s inaugural event in 2006.

Close to 3,000 jobs were up for grabs in a large number of industries, from aerospace and aviation, financial services and life sciences to healthcare, hospitality and logistics.

RP also collaborated with JobsCentral, a leading online recruitment portal, to set up an exclusive new website for RP students

and alumni. Companies participating in the fair uploaded job opportunities there, while RP students and alumni submitted CVs prior to the event.

The portal gave companies the advantage of being able to screen prospective candidates in advance and hold on-site interviews at the career fair, increasing the likelihood of finding the most suitable candidates.

Seven companies, including Amgen, Singapore Airlines, Fitness First and DHL Supply Chain conducted on-site interviews.

The fair offered employers excellent recruitment and branding opportunities.

Employers were also able to share the work opportunities in their organisations with RP students and graduates.

The high participation rate at the fair was testimony to strong support from industry partners during a sluggish time for the global economy.

Kamarulzaman’s winning work ‘People, People, People’

Stepping out into the world of art Design graduate’s work shown at UK festival

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n open call for entries to a new international arts festival led Republic Polytechnic (RP) alumnus Kamarulzaman bin Mohamed Sapiee to take the plunge and enter his work – with spectacular results.

World Event Young Artists (WEYA) launched in the English city of Nottingham on 7 September 2012 as a finale to the Cultural Olympiad, the cultural arm of the London 2012

“Being an RP student made me realise my passion and potential for art. I was able to access equipment and facilities that allowed me to explore my interests”

Olympics. A thousand artists from 100 nations were selected to take part in this innovative showcase of creative talents.

“I was ecstatic when I received the news that my work was selected! I was grateful to be one of the 13 artists representing Singapore and have my work exhibited in the UK,” Kamarulzaman recalls.

The participating artists, all aged between 18 and 30, were engaged in every art form – from visual art, music, dance and photography to film, the spoken word and theatre.

They showcased their works in Nottingham during a 10-day festival celebration spread across 30 world-class venues and alternative spaces in the city.

The former RP School of Technology for the Arts student,

who graduated in 2011 with a Diploma in Design for Interactivity, showed a work called ‘People, People, People’, which he says deals with memories of his past, present and the near future. “It’s part of a series of photographs called ‘Facial Codes’,” he said.

“It explores how there is more to a flat, 2D piece of work than meets the eye.”

In a comment on the dehumanising effects of technology and the way it can dilute individual identities, ‘Facial Codes’ depicts individuals and groups with QR codes superimposed onto their faces. In contrast to the ‘blocked’ faces of the people in the photographs, each code is unique and contains a different message, retrievable when scanned using a smartphone QR reader.

Kamarulzaman credits RP for exposing him to the world of art and design.

“When I got involved in the arts, it opened up my eyes and I began to see the world in a different light,” he said.

“Being an RP student made me realise my passion and potential for art. I was able to access equipment and facilities that allowed me to explore my interests. My facilitators were also generous in sharing their experience and knowledge, from which I greatly benefited.”

Currently serving his national service, Kamarulzaman will join Nanyang Technological University (NTU) later in 2013 to pursue a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

He added: “I plan to apply for the Ministry of Education Teaching Scholarship when I graduate from NTU as I hope to teach art to the next generation.

I also hope to continue to make art and have my work showcased locally and internationally.”

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News

On your marks, get set. . . jam!

Annual computer game challenge enjoys record participation

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aking modern video games is a billion-dollar business.

Large creative teams, in some cases several hundred strong, may labour on a single product for years.

One event, however, bucks the industry norm. Held annually around the world, Global Game Jam (GGJ) challenges game creators to conceive, design, build, test and deliver a game based on a ‘mystery theme,’ all within a scant 48 hours. The games are then uploaded and showcased on the GGJ website.

This January, GGJ returned for its fifth consecutive year. In Singapore, Republic Polytechnic (RP) has hosted the jam site since 2010.

Clutching laptop computers, sleeping bags and flasks of strong coffee, a diverse mix of students, professional computer game designers and amateur hobbyists gathered at RP’s Woodlands campus to get to grips with 2013’s challenging theme: not a phrase, nor even an image, but the soft rhythm of a human heartbeat.

A record 172 game jammers had registered – a surge from the 133 participants who attended the event in 2012. Singapore’s site ranked 11th largest out of all participating countries.

Thirty-seven games were created, up from 24 last year. Innovative offerings included Astral Beat, a territorial acquisition game created by a team of RP staff and alumni in which players use seeds to score points regularly to a constant beat.

“The beating of our hearts is not something we pay conscious attention to,” explained team leader and RP facilitator Mr Shaun Tay. “This is something we tried to reflect in Astral Beat. Players are constantly cued in as beats – set to a heartbeat’s pace – resonate in cyclical progression. The challenge comes from the fact that the fast pace of the game acts to draw attention away from these cues. The player with the most points after 99 seconds wins.”

Professionals also got a chance to

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Co-founder of LudoChip Mr Bruce Chia (L) and Co-founder of Boomzap Entertainment Mr Allan Simonsen (R) mentoring a participant

“Global Game Jam provides a platform for amateur and professional game designers to network, show off their talents and hone their skills” attend the jam as mentors and look out for aspiring game developers. Previous editions of GGJ around the world have seen games being scooped up by game publishers for development – and teams have even formed new studios.

“Global Game Jam provides a platform

for amateur and professional game designers to network, show off their talents and hone their skills,” said Ms Sharen Liu, Director of RP School of Technology for the Arts, which offers a Diploma in Game Design.

“By hosting this year’s gathering, RP has demonstrated its ability to host largescale, industry-recognised events and promote Singapore as an international game design centre.”

Started by the International Game Developers Association in 2009, the event has grown steadily over the years, with 16,705 participants from 63 countries taking part in the 2013 Global Game Jam and creating more than 3,248 game prototypes.

Scientific Thinking Programme returns for its 10th year School scheme to nurture cognitive skills

(L-R): Programme Chair of RP School of Technology for the Arts, Diploma in Sonic Arts Mr Andrew Wong, Director of RP School of Infocomm Mr Fong Yew Chan, Director of RP School of Technology for the Arts Ms Sharen Liu, President and Managing Director of Sennheiser Asia Mr Ng Chee Soon, Deputy Principal (Industry Services) of RP Mr Seto Lok Yin and Head of Professional Business of Sennheiser Asia Mr Amos Jen.

Sennheiser deal will give sound students professional skills MOU formalised with German audio giant will help students acquire audio knowledge

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epublic Polytechnic’s (RP) School of Technology for the Arts (STA) has formalised a collaboration with German audio company Sennheiser Asia that will see RP students acquire industrystandard audio knowledge.

The audio e-learning collaboration, the first of its kind in Southeast Asia, will be delivered via Sennheiser’s Germanbased partner training portal, the Sennheiser Sound Academy.

Ms Sharen Liu, Director of RP School of Technology for the Arts, and Sennheiser Asia’s President and Managing Director,

Mr Ng Chee Soon, inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 2 January 2013.

Sennheiser will sponsor four scholarships a year for students of RP’s Diploma of Sonic Arts at the School of Technology for the Arts. The award will be named the ‘Sennheiser Scholarship’.

In addition, the company will provide student internship placements for RP students.

The collaboration will provide plenty of opportunities for future partnerships between both parties, including the prospect of joint research and consultancy work in the field of professional audio production.

February saw the launch of the 10th annual Scientific Thinking Programme (STP) at Republic Polyechnic (RP).

This year, 48 teams from 21 schools participated.

The STP is a school outreach project which aims to develop students’ curiosity about the science of everyday life and nurture their scientific thinking skills. Since the programme launched in 2004, RP’s staff advisers have worked with students from various secondary schools to develop research questions and answer them, using scientific methods.

“The objective of the programme is to stimulate young minds and nurture a lifelong passion for science and technology” Participants are guided from idea formulation and experiment design to data collection, analysis and presentation of their findings.

“The objective of the programme is to stimulate young minds and nurture a lifelong passion for science and technology,” said Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO of RP. The resounding support received from participating schools clearly showed that the programme has served them well and that our staff’s commitment and passion have earned RP many valued partners.

At the launch on 14 February, RP also inked a Memorandum of Understanding with the Science Centre Singapore.

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News Symbiosis event showcases latest graduate-level innovation Promoting creativity and social responsibility An extensive portfolio of creative work with a socially responsible theme recently went on display when the School of Technology for the Arts (STA) at Republic Polytechnic (RP) held a showcase of innovation.

Symbiosis: School of Technology for the Arts Graduation Showcase ran at ARTrium @ Old Hill Street Police Station on 1 and 2 March.

Featuring the best works produced by final year students from STA’s diploma courses, the event aimed to provide examples of the wide-ranging relationships that RP graduates enjoy with industry partners.

The projects on display all promoted a general theme of social responsibility. Among them was a set of four staff training videos on ‘how to go green’ for Marina Bay Sands.

Another, a series of videos entitled Slices of Life, dealt with a range of challenging social issues and was sponsored by Caritas Singapore Community Council.

Ms Sharen Liu, STA’s Director, said, “We want our students to undertake projects that will help to benefit society in a socially responsible way, as well as being useful to industry.”

Leading local filmmaker Mr Jack Neo was guest speaker at the event.

This year, his company, J Team, gave Diploma in Sonic Arts graduate Ng Yan Bo, 21, the opportunity to intern as Mr Neo’s personal assistant.

J Team has offered internships to STA students since 2012.

“We really appreciate the help our RP interns give us,” Mr Neo told incoRPorate. “I believe that our internship also provides them with an insightful experience into the way the film industry works on the ground.”

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(L-R): Operations Manager of Singapore Youth Flying Club COL (RET) Willie Chow, General Manager of Singapore Youth Flying Club COL (VOL) Andy Tan, Deputy Principal (Industry Services) of RP Mr Seto Lok Yin and Director of RP School of Engineering Dr Wang Jianguo.

RP and Singapore Youth Flying Club to train new pilots

MOU gets RP students off to a flying start

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epublic Polytechnic (RP) and Singapore Youth Flying Club (SYFC) recently inked a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The MOU will offer select RP School of Engineering students pursuing the Diploma in Civil Aviation the opportunity to pursue a 20-week internship and flight training programme at SYFC during their third year of study.

Kicking off in October 2013, the internship and training programmes aim to foster a passion for flying among

“Our collaboration with SYFC is a huge step forward for Republic Polytechnic’s School of Engineering students”

students while providing them with first-hand flying experience. Students will obtain a private pilot’s licence at the end of the 20-week internship.

“Our collaboration with SYFC is a huge step forward for RP School of Engineering students,” said Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/CEO of RP. “To pilot the skies is not something many students in Singapore have the opportunity to experience. We hope this partnership will continue to drive a passion for aviation innovation among our future generations.”

COL (VOL) Andy Tan, General Manager of SYFC, said, “The Singapore Youth Flying Club is committed to cultivating a strong interest in flying among our youths in Singapore. This partnership will enable more youths to have the opportunity to obtain flying experience while pursuing their studies.”

Making a difference

Business leaders give generous gift

T (L-R): VP and Head of College of Science and Engineering, University of Glasgow Prof John Chapman, President of SIT Prof Tan Thiam Soon, Member of Board of Trustees of SIT Mrs Rachel Eng, Principal/CEO of RP Mr Yeo Li Pheow.

New opportunities at RP for Computing Science students Collaboration offers additional pathway for eligible graduates onto University of Glasgow’s Bachelor in Computing Science

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epublic Polytechnic (RP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and University of Glasgow (UoG) on 26 March 2013.

The signing paves the way for a new SIT programme in computing science to be launched from September 2013 at RP, delivered in partnership with University of Glasgow Singapore.

The relationship between these three institutions dates back to 2011, when UoG launched a collaboration with SIT and set up University of Glasgow Singapore.

Five out of RP’s six infocomm diplomas now give students the opportunity of fast-track pathways onto the third year of UoG’s Bachelor in Computing Science degree programme.

“This is an excellent partnership agreement which offers real benefits,” said Professor John Chapman, VP and

Artist’s impression of the SIT Atrium at RP

“Together we will be able to ignite new and exciting opportunities for collaboration with industry” Head of the College of Science and Engineering at UoG. “Together we will be able to ignite new and exciting opportunities for collaboration with industry.”

wo scholarships and a lump sum towards the RP Needy Student Fund have been made possible thanks to a generous recent donation from valued partner, the Business Leaders Alumni Club (BLAC). Now, more potential young leaders can be groomed through the scholarship scheme. The gift of S$10,000 will also go a long way towards “We hope that helping the grant will students who may help students otherwise further develop not be able their own to afford an individual education talents” at RP. “Nurturing youth is the essential component to community and leadership development,” said Ms Susan Chong, BLAC’s Chairman.

“In line with BLAC’s mission of inspiring future leaders, we hope the grant will contribute by providing the opportunity for youth to further develop their individual talents.”

BLAC brings together forwardlooking business leaders in Singapore who believe that developing themselves, peers and the future generation of business leaders is the cornerstone for financial growth.

About 45 per cent of RP’s student population requires financial assistance in the form of bursaries and subsidies.

RP’s close partnership with philanthropic organisations such as BLAC helps to support and advance its students’ education journey, and ensures that no one is left behind due to financial reasons.

RP is very grateful for the continuing generosity of industry and community partners who have supported RP over the years. Their gifts have certainly made an impact on the lives of many students.

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Focus

On the fast track

RP School of Sports, Health and Leisure offers the kind of specialist skills that are sought after by industry partners. We take a look at some recent industry-standard projects.

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laying host to Formula One’s first night circuit racing in 2008, the first Asian Youth Games in 2009 and the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in 2010, Singapore is well on its way to becoming an active and vibrant sporting nation and the sports hub of Southeast Asia.

RP School of Sports, Health and Leisure offers industry-

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relevant programmes, based on applied practical research, that can help the growing sports and leisure sector develop further. “We want to nurture students to be industry-ready professionals, through innovative curriculum and research, in partnership with our stakeholders,” says Ms Goy Soon Lan, the School’s Director. Here’s what that means in practice.

Perfect pitch A series of initiatives from the Ministry of Education (MOE) to build more indoor sports halls and scale up the implementation of synthetic turf pitches in schools were the triggers for a recent final-year project for students taking RP’s Diploma in Sports and Exercise Sciences.

“It’s obviously very important that there’s no injury risk associated with these turfs,” explains Dr Ian Harris Sujae, senior manager at RP’s ERGO Technology Development Centre, who led the finalyear project. “So our biomechanical evaluation study evaluated different types of turfs, using sand and rubber infills. We wanted to determine which turf elicited the least amount of stress loading on players’ knee joints when they performed the side-step cutting manoeuvre.”

Players use this manoeuvre to quickly change direction before accelerating away as fast as they can so as to evade opposing players. While often highly effective, it can also put a great deal of stress on players’ knee joints and thus increase the risk of injuries.

Good technology practices were introduced through the use of the ERGO’s state-of-the-art biomechanics research equipment to collect data, including a high-speed Optical Motion Camera System integrated with a forceplate. “Biomechanical concepts were articulated and applied during actual field testing to find research solutions,” says Dr Sujae. “Students gained handson experience of what it’s like to be a human-factor researcher in the areas of sports performance and ergonomics.”

Research results from the study were used to make recommendations to MOE. Now Dr Sujae is seeking industry partners to engage in further research to develop a turf made by RP. “There is potential for collaboration between RP and bodies such as Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Institute for Sports

“Students gained handson experience of what it’s like to be a human-factor researcher in the areas of sports performance and ergonomics”

Research and National University of Singapore’s (NUS) ergonomics unit, to name only two,” says Dr Sujae. “The study has attracted interest from the Singapore Sports Council and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.”

On course for success On 21 February 2012, RP and the Singapore Athletics Association (SAA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to enhance the collaboration between RP and SAA in the area of

athletics coaching. The MOU agreed that the SAA would offer a Kids’ Athletics Instructor’s Course to RP’s Diploma in Sports Coaching students. The MOU would also pave the way for the creation of a Kids’ Athletics Satellite Centre at RP and provide athletics coaching pathways for RP students.

The first five-day course took place in May last year at RP. Forty students participated, with extremely positive results.

“Students on the course clocked 30

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Focus

hours of mentorship with SAA coaches,” explains Mr Grain Baysa-Pee, Programme Chair, Diploma in Sports Coaching at RP. “The new Kids’ Athletics Satellite Centre here provided them with a venue but best of all, the course enabled them to ‘learn by doing’, by working directly with the kids. Students worked on problemsolving ability, communication skills, teamwork and good time management – opportunities they would never have had in the classroom.”

The Kids’ Athletics Instructor’s Course includes theoretical knowledge on child development in athletics and the latest MOE requirements for the Programme

“The course gave students useful insights into some of the real-life issues coaches face, as well as a chance to give something back to the sporting community” for Active Learning. The students who passed are now certified by the SAA as kids’ athletics instructors, enabling them to coach children aged between seven and 12 in basic athletic and agility skills.

For those who want to go on to pursue

a career in athletics coaching, the course also qualifies them for the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Level 1 Course. “We saw a marked increase in interest in athletics coaching among the students who took part.

Several have now gone on to pursue the IAAF,” says Mr Baysa-Pee. Mr James Wong, General Manager of Singapore Athletic Association, said, “The course gave students useful insights into some of the real-life issues coaches face, and a chance to give something back to the sporting community.

“With an experiential stint like this behind them, they will be better equipped with hands-on knowledge and experience when they venture out into coaching athletes.”

In this way, the course has allowed RP to help expand the talent pool for athletics coaching in Singapore.

Primed for life A partnership between RP and the Council for Third Age (C3A) was the trigger for a recent research project into the ways community support can promote active and healthy ageing.

C3A is an agency which plays a catalytic role in promoting active ageing messages. The research project was part of the C3A’s Intergenerational Learning Programme, a pilot programme that, in a bid to promote active and healthy ageing, matches senior learners with

Joint Innovation Lab to research solutions for key public health concerns

Director of Adult Health Division of HPB Dr Annie Ling, former Chief Executive of HPB and current CED of People’s Association Mr Ang Hak Seng, Principal/CEO of RP Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Director of RP School of Sports, Health and Leisure Ms Goy Soon Lan.

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RP and Singapore Health Promotion Board’s (HPB) Physical Activity Centre of Excellence jointly launched an innovative physical activity research centre in February 2013.

Housed within RP School of Sports, Health and Leisure, the RP-HPB Innovation Lab in Physical Activity focuses on a combination of valuable and

exciting student and staffbased projects in collaboration with industry partners.

At present, four companies have been named as partners in work being done at the lab: iActive Pte Ltd, Icon Books & Multimedia Pte Ltd, Biofit Technology & Services, and Bodygreen (Asia) Pte Ltd. Current plans include a testbedding centre for students to

“I learned that wellness has three components – the physical, the mental and the social, all subjects close to everybody’s hearts” youths to bridge the generation gap and shape a positive perception in the younger generation towards ageing and senior citizens. Students in RP’s health management and promotion diploma programme carried out this research as their final-year project.

“The project rationale was that having social support would help the senior citizens feel more secure about adapting to a healthier lifestyle,” explains Mr Francis Ngau, project supervisor and academic associate in RP School of Sports, Health and Leisure. “So in February 2013, 15 students ran a sixweek health management course at RP, offering lessons in healthy living to senior citizens.”

C3A provided RP with 30 participants aged between 55 and 71, who were separated into a control group and an experimental group. The latter were paired up with students, who encouraged them and supported them through six weeks of healthy living classes.

While no significant difference could be discerned between the two groups at the end of the project, both students and

collaborate with industry partners on testing and developing new applications and technologies, as well as physical activities that could be made accessible to local communities. Seminars and workshops will also be conducted at a knowledgesharing centre.

Innovative pilot projects currently under way include a ‘health wristwatch’ with enhanced functionalities. This device, worn on the wrist, includes an integrated Diet and Activity Tracker (iDAT), a tool designed to help users track their calorie intake and

seniors gained valuable insights from taking part.

“The problems we discussed were very good topics,” says Mdm Linda Lim, 64, a course participant. “I learned that wellness has three components – the physical, the mental and the social, all subjects close to everybody’s hearts. Also on the course, you learn to make new friends and share ideas.”

A C3A spokesperson told incoRPorate that studies and testimonies from participating institutions and seniors have proven that projects like the ones

Innovative pilot projects currently under way include a ‘health wristwatch’ with enhanced functionalities” expenditure, and calculate whether enough physical activity is taking place.

The device also includes the ability to send an automatic text alert to the person wearing the watch if they over-indulge or do not exercise enough,

the students undertook can effectively bridge generational gaps, and improve the perceptions of different generations.

“C3A’s Intergenerational Learning Programme provides a platform for seniors to pursue lifelong learning to enhance their mental and social wellbeing through interaction with the younger generation. By matching youths and seniors in a learning environment, it allows seniors and youths to gain an understanding of each other and improve perceptions and attitudes towards ageing,” she said.

and alert a caregiver if the user should fall or sustain movement-related injuries.

This could cut response time and aid faster treatment; it would also complement HPB’s current efforts for fall prevention through functional assessment and screenings at the community level.

The lab is also studying an equation to calculate the resting metabolic rate of Asians that could help design customised diets and products better suited to local needs.

Former Chief Executive of HPB and current CED of

People’s Association Mr Ang Hak Seng said, “The RP-HPB Innovation Lab will serve not only as a model for thoughtleadership but will support the design, development and deployment of evidence-based tools and solutions to address local health concerns.”

Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal/ CEO of RP, said the project was a win-win situation where students would also be given a unique opportunity to study and develop solutions to real world problems that can affect the health and quality of life of Singaporeans.

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Profile

Winning the training game Mr Tan Huan Peow, Director of Academy for Continuing Education @RP, explains why it’s important to promote lifelong learning

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uman capital is our most important asset. As a small state with no natural resources, Singapore needs to be continually growing its human capital to stay ahead. Ensuring that our workforce remains employable for longer, with new and better skills, is a key part of that process.

ACE@RP helps working adults upgrade their skills and extend the lifespan of their careers. All our Continuing Education and Training (CET) programmes are designed with this in mind. We want to give our workforce a better chance of remaining competitive in the current knowledge-based global economy and add value to their organisation.

What working adult learners want from a CET programme is flexibility.

They want to be able to hit the ground running, armed with their new skills and knowledge. That’s why we’ve been working with the Ministry of Education (MOE) to make our courses more compact and modular, to provide greater flexibility for adult learners.

Making CET programmes more affordable makes it even easier for adult students to enrol. That’s why MOE has

“We want to give our workforce a better chance of remaining competitive in the current knowledgebased global economy and add value to their organisation” 14

also greatly increased subsidies for our advanced and specialist diplomas from 70 per cent to 85 per cent of the cost of delivering the programme. The results speak for themselves. In 2010, we offered just 80 CET training places at RP. By 2012, that had risen to 412.

It’s vital that our CET programmes have relevance to current industry practices and the latest technological advancements. Otherwise, they will not do the job of helping workers to boost their productivity, or act as much of a driver for overall economic improvement. For that reason, strong links with industry partners and associations such as the Singapore Manufacturing Federation and the Singapore Workforce Development Authority is a key feature of all ACE@ RP’s academic programmes.

I’m 55 years old, and I’m still learning.

I started work in the 1980s as an electronics engineer and I’ve done a lot of courses to upgrade over the years.

Looking back, they’ve all been very important enablers. The real key is how to apply what I’ve learned on the ground, and this is where I derive a lot of satisfaction. Of course, education is vitally important, but the ability to select and apply the knowledge, techniques and skills you’ve been taught to your activities at work is even more so. Without that, the knowledge remains abstract.

A passion for learning and a drive to take on more challenges. That’s what helps adult learners succeed. One of ACE@RP’s recent success stories featured a 62-yearold retiree who juggled

studying with us while working part-time as a real estate consultant. He graduated in 2011 with a sports and exercise science specialist diploma – his second sports diploma from RP – and went on to become a part-time trainer for RP’s Adventure Learning Centre. He was really open to the opportunities our programme could offer him and it paid off.

Parting Shots Visitors who view product videos are

Traditional media is changing fast and so is the way you must engage your customers. With nearly 55% growth in 2012, online video is the fastest growing advertising format

85%

more likely to buy than visitors who do not.

(source: Internet Retailer, April 2013, internetretailer.com)

400m

We’re all getting old and society requires innovative solutions to manage this demographic shift. This is the number of people aged 80 years or older it’s estimated the world will have by 2050 – quadruple the figure for 2000. Never before has the majority of middle-aged adults had living parents. (source: World Health Organization, who.int)

“By the time I made my 15 prototype, my third child was born. By 2,627, my wife and I were really counting our pennies. By 3,727, my wife was giving art lessons for some extra cash. These were tough times, but each failure brought me closer to solving the problem.

It wasn’t the final prototype that made the struggle worth it. The process bore the fruit. I just kept at it.” th

Why it’s always worth giving it one more go… It took Sir James Dyson 15 years and 5,127 prototypes before he created the award-winning ‘cyclone technology’ design for his famous vacuum cleaner. According to Forbes, he’s now worth US$4.4bn. (source: wired.com)

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Mapping the human genome for the first time in the year 2000 took 10 years and cost US$3 billion.

Now one person’s genome can be mapped for about US$6,000 and soon the cost is expected to fall to just US$1,000, clearing the way for personalised medicines and individualised treatments. (source: human genome project, genome.gov)

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19

13 4

10

7 11

12 18

9

70.3m

15

17

3

16.6m

2015

2011

2002

6

⓴ Uganda ⓳ Cambodia ⓲ Tanzania ⓱ Zambia ⓰ Panama ⓯ Sri Lanka ⓮ Uzbekistan ⓭ Gambia ⓬ Rwanda ⓫ Democratic Republic of the Congo ❿ Ethiopia ➒ Angola ➑ Laos ➐ Ghana ➏ Mozambique ➎ China ➍ Sierra Leone ➌ Timor-Leste ➋ Iraq ➊ Mongolia

Growth doesn’t always come where you expect it. According to World Bank estimates, these are the 20 countries with the highest projected compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2013 – 2015. Many of the countries have very low levels of GDP as starting points, so growth is skewed by their export of valuable natural resources. What will these fast growing markets require in terms of skills and products? And how can you serve them best? (source: World Bank; Business Insider, businessinsider.com)

Happy holidays! Airlines, aircraft manufacturers, hotels, tourist boards and everyone else connected to the global travel industry are still trying to get to grips with the startling rise in outbound travel from China. This sector has grown faster than anyone predicted, with outbound Chinese tourists rising from 16.6 million to 70.3 million, up 323 per cent from 2002 to 2011. By 2015, this figure is predicted to reach 100 million. (source: China National Tourism Administration)

15

ACE Your Career ACE@RP is the continuing education and training (CET) arm of Republic Polytechnic (RP). We promote lifelong learning amongst working adults so that they can remain valuable participants in a knowledge-based economy. ACE@RP offers various academic and executive programmes for aspiring professionals.

You can now choose our CET programmes for academic upgrading and career progression.

SM E s app ponso r lica nts ed enjo y sub sidy *

90%

CET Diploma Programmes

Intakes

Specialist Diploma in Applied Learning and Teaching

July 2013

Specialist Diploma in Mobile Applications Part-Time Diploma in Engineering (Operations and Engineering Management) Part-Time Diploma in Business Practice (Hospitality Management)

October 2013

Part-Time Diploma in Infocomm and Digital Media (Information Systems) Part-Time Diploma in Sports (Coaching) * Applicable to CET Diploma Programmes only. Terms & Conditions apply.

Problem-Based Learning: Who, What, Why and How Problem-based Learning (PBL) is a learner-centred approach that focuses on helping you acquire knowledge, skills and critical thinking ability through a dynamic learning process.

The objective of the workshop is to help you understand and apply the principles and methods of PBL in your coursework. You will learn to evaluate your teaching perspectives as educators, develop strategies for facilitating learning, use problems as triggers for learning, as well as understand how to conduct holistic assessments.

June 2013

WSQ Technical Theatre Apprenticeship Programme Technical Theatre (Stagecraft)

October 2013

Technical Theatre (Sound)

September 2013

Technical Theatre (Lighting)

June 2013

ACADEMY FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION @RP Tel 6697 1699 Email ACE@rp.edu.sg Web www.rp.edu.sg/ace