WHILE Singapore has played host to the annualSingapore Open Asian Windsurfing Champion-ship for some 32 years now, there was some-thing quite unique about the most recent editionof the competition that was held in January thisyear.

Behind the scenes, a group of students fromSIM Global Education (SIM GE) worked feverish-ly day and night to help get the prestigious event– sanctioned by the UK-based InternationalWindsurfing Association, no less – up and run-ning, doing everything from handling registrationand distributing goodie bags to participants totabulating race data.

The fact that SIM GE was the title sponsor ofthe Championship opened the doors for thesestudents from the Windsurfing Club to have arare opportunity to help organise such alarge-scale tournament.

It was an eye-opener on many levels for stu-dents such as Gloriane Lim, the club’s vice-presi-dent, who appreciated the opportunity to learnimportant organisational skills that would standher in good stead when she eventually enters

the workforce after graduating.“It has been such a beneficial expe-

rience,” the 19-year-old, a third-yearUniversity of London accountancyand finance student, enthuses. “As-sisting on the ground is one of thequickest ways of learning how hugerace events are run.”

Brian Yu, from the WindsurfingClub’s marketing and public relationsdepartment, was the head of theevent’s sponsorship team and re-called having to be on a steep learn-ing curve from the get-go.

The 24-year-old had to source forpotential sponsors way before theevent, taking into account their mar-keting strategies and aligning themwith his team’s sponsorship expecta-tions.

“We also had the privilege of get-ting first-hand interaction with top cor-porate figures to discuss sponsorshipand future partnerships. These gaveme a deeper understanding of the dif-ferent marketing strategies of eachcompany and helped me appreciate

the importance of a prudent branding policy,”says Mr Yu, also a third-year UOL accountingand finance student.

While he admits the entire experience was achallenging one, he says it was both fulfillingand enriching for his personal development ashe prepares for the corporate world down theroad.

“Being involved in the event is something Ican proudly shout about, because not everyonecan get a shot at doing this,” he says.

The exposure to such learning opportunitiesare the norm at SIM GE these days, with the em-phasis on learning outside the classroom just asimportant as what goes on inside.

Put simply, each and every one of SIM GE’s23,000 students on the trans-national educationroute are exposed to countless avenues to expe-rience much more than just studying, attendinglectures, writing papers and passing exams.

Some SIM GE students have been busybringing national pride on the sporting stage.The SIM men’s dragonboat team won the PrimeMinister’s Challenge Trophy this year to add totheir 2011/12 inter-tertiary championship crown.The women’s team, too, won the inter-tertiary ti-

tle that same year. SIM’s women swimmingteam, led by national swimmers Tao Li andMylene Ong, were the overall inter-tertiary swim-ming champions for 2012/13.

Students have also done their part to bring“in-house pride” to SIM GE on the cultural front.The SIM String Ensemble has held severalsold-out concerts at the Esplanade Recital Stu-dio, while a group of 40 students even workedtogether to produce a full-length musical, titled“Thoroughly Modern Millie Junior”. Despite it be-ing the first musical that the SIM-Film and Per-forming Arts Society had produced, it wasplayed out in front of a full house and receivedrave reviews from the public.

In addition, SIM GE’s Education Abroad initia-tive makes it one of only a handful of private edu-cation institutions in Singapore to provide bothoverseas exposure and the chance to engage inmeaningful social responsibility projects – allwith the aim of developing their students intowell-rounded individuals and leaders.

Be it spending a summer at one of SIM GE’s12 partner universities in Asia, Europe or Ameri-ca, or networking with business leaders in Chinaor helping underprivileged communities in Ne-pal, there is something on the menu to suit everytaste and passion.

The SIM Global Immersion Program, for in-stance, is sending students to different countriesin Europe this year, among them Estonia, Fin-

land, Spain and the UK, for two to three weeksat a time.

Rachel Chua has never been to Europe be-fore but the 24-year-old got her chance earlierthis year when she spent a semester in Englandas part of her International Business degreecourse at the University of Birmingham.

Her fondest memory was when one of her lec-turers hired a van and brought a group of 13 stu-dents on a road trip to Scotland where they sleptin caravans, went hiking and relaxed at thebeach.

“Life in Europe was very different indeed com-pared to Singapore. I would say the experienceinstilled a higher sense of independence in me.It was really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity totravel so far and with so many of my class-mates,” says Ms Chua.

Back home, she is also active on campus inmany ways. As vice-president of the Photogra-phy Club, Ms Chua helps oversee the activitiesfor the club’s 600-plus members. An avid shutter-bug since she was a toddler watching her fathersnap away on his SLR camera, Ms Chua saysbeing in the club means she is among like-mind-ed individuals who constantly teach her newtricks and techniques and encourage her to goout and shoot more often.

For other ambitious students like EdwardVongslai, he relishes opportunities such as a re-cent trip to Perak in Malaysia where some 100

people – all holding leadership positions at oneof the student clubs – spent three days learningabout teamwork and honing their communica-tion skills.

“I also discovered more about myself, mystrengths and weaknesses, the things that I lackand what needs to be improved,” says the sec-ond-year UOL accounting and finance under-graduate.

When he’s not hitting the books, you can findthe 24-year-old on the field roughing it out withhis teammates in his favourite sport of rugby. MrVongslai, a former vice-captain of the RugbyClub, was part of the SIM GE team that partici-pated in last year’s Singapore UniversityGames. And although his team didn’t win, hesays the experience has sparked in him thedrive to perform better for future tournaments.

“Rugby is a team sport, the closeness andbond of the team is essential to our success.This was gradually developed through all ourtraining sessions and the many times we wouldhave dinner together afterwards. I would definite-ly want to represent SIM again next year if giventhe chance,” he says.

These are just some of the many success sto-ries that SIM GE can speak of, all part of its planto inspire a generation of students to make in-formed choices that will directly impact theirlives and to consciously design the kind of futurethey want to live in.

SIM Global Education’s “Project 1095” wants them to make the most of university life and become all-rounded leaders

Did you know?

SIM GE has a “Project 1095” initiative that aims todrive home the message that every single day – beit on campus or elsewhere – brings with it new anddifferent opportunities.

The figure “1095” was chosen because itrepresents the total number of days a student willtypically spend at SIM GE over three years tocomplete his or her course.

Project 1095 is a ground-up initiative to foster inSIM GE students intellectual and personal growth;interpersonal and leadership development; aglobal mindset and active citizenship.

Besides programmes in Career services, Studentdevelopment and Student wellness, SIM GEstudents get overseas exposure throughEducation Abroad opportunities.

University of California (Berkeley), BostonUniversity, London School of Economics andPolitical Science, and Utrecht University areamong the partner universities of EducationAbroad.

SIM GE’s growing network of industry partnersfor internship programmes include Resorts WorldSentosa, HSBC, Banyan Tree, MTV Asia andDeloitte & Touche.

Beyond theclassroom: SIM GEhas produced all-roundedstudents such as(clockwise from above left)Rachel Chua, who went ona road trip to Scotlandwhere she hiked and sleptin caravans; the jubilantSIM men’s dragonboatteam who won the PrimeMinister’s Challenge Trophythis year; and the SIMString Ensemble which hasheld several sold-outconcerts at the EsplanadeRecital Studio.

‘Life in Europewas very differentindeed comparedto Singapore.I would say theexperience instilled ahigher sense ofindependence in me.It was really aonce-in-a-lifetimeopportunity to travelso far and with somany of myclassmates.’– Rachel Chua on her Europe stint as

part of her International Businessdegree course at the University of

Birmingham

Helping students be global-ready

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