SUSS and WiseNet Asia Launch Success Academy in Malaysia to Foster Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Regional Social Impact

The Academy will offer programmes with cross-cultural industry experiences to empower students and executives for success in the global business arena.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 23 August 2024 – The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and WiseNet Asia, a talent solutions and consultant company, today launched the SUSS Success Academy in Kuala Lumpur, unlocking new learning and training opportunities for students in Singapore and Malaysia.

The occasion was marked by an opening ceremony at The Gardens – A St Giles Signature Hotel in Kuala Lumpur and attended by over 100 guests from both countries, including representatives from institutions of higher learning, as well as industry partners and community partners. The ceremony was presided over by Mr. Vanu Gopala Menon, High Commissioner, Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur, and Dr Ong Kian-Ming, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Taylor’s University.

Success Academy will connect partners from Singapore and Malaysia

Grounded on SUSS’ commitment to learning for life and creating social impact, the Academy will serve as a key nexus for academic and industry partners from both countries, fostering partnerships and grooming well-rounded future leaders capable of excelling and making positive contributions to society.

Through the Academy’s two distinct tracks – Personal Success and Professional Success – SUSS will offer opportunities for students from SUSS and other Singapore pre-tertiary and tertiary to co-learn and co-innovate with students from Malaysia. This will include various comprehensive programmes such as interdisciplinary global learning courses and student exchanges. Additionally, SUSS students will have the chance to gain professional experience in the region through work attachments and internships.

Key initiatives include:

Student Leadership Development in Social Sustainability: In partnership Belum Eco Resort located in Temenggor, SUSS will leverage the resort’s facilities to develop a place-based education programme and experiential site, known as Camp R.A.I.S.E. By exploring the surrounding natural environment, students will engage in hands-on activities and projects that emphasise practical applications of sustainability concepts, and they will also have opportunities to participate in water-related sports. This programme will help students learn about environmental stewardship and sustainable practices, eco-preneurship, and well-being and mindfulness strategies.

Overseas Sports Excellence Programme: To deepen sporting and cultural relationships with Malaysia, more than 80 SUSS student-athletes will conduct friendlies and training sessions with Malaysian athletes across different sporting groups, including football, floorball, bowling, and ultimate frisbee. Beyond its student focus, the Academy, anchored on SUSS’ expertise in adult and workplace learning, will also serve its dual purpose of creating professional training and development solutions for industry partners, organisations, and institutions.

Impact Start-Up Challenge (ISC): The ISC is a credit-bearing course that offers a platform for students from Singapore and Malaysia to learn together and experience the startup ecosystem and work collaboratively to generate ideas, test and pivot their proposal in a real-world setting. The first of such partnerships is with Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, enabling both Singapore and Malaysian students to learn and explore business ideas focused on sustainability.

Ecopreneur Innovation Programme (EIP): Participants of the SUSS Ecopreneur Innovation Programme (EIP) embarked on a study trip to Perak in July. The trip aimed to facilitate interactions between the ecopreneurs and local businesses, as well as key players in the startup ecosystem, to explore potential collaborations. In partnership with Belum Eco Resort, the students visited Orang Asli villages to gain insights into the community’s needs, brainstorm innovative business ideas, and develop prototypes aimed at enhancing their well-being.

To further advance our work and partnership in Perak, we are pleased to announce our signing of Memorandum of Understanding yesterday with Bonanza Educare and Perak Academy to promote knowledge exchange and innovation, internship opportunities, and co-design and co-delivery of experiential programmes.

Over the past two years, more than 60 SUSS students have engaged in collaborative learning with their Malaysian counterparts. This initiative, in partnership with Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman and Universiti Sains Malaysia, is designed to broaden intercultural competencies, equipping students to become responsible and effective global citizens in an inclusive and sustainable world.

SUSS has also developed specialised training programmes for union leaders in the transport sector by leveraging on research from SUSS’ Centre for Applied Research and working with the Transport Federation and Ong Teng Cheong Labour Leadership Institute. These programmes focus on skills development and are being implemented in Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and India.

Professor Tan Tai Yong, President of SUSS, said: “The launch of the SUSS Success Academy in Kuala Lumpur embodies our collaborative spirit and dedication to creating meaningful opportunities for our students and enterprises. As part of our vision to be a university that inspires learning for life and impacts lives, our partnership with WiseNet Asia will offer a multitude of opportunities for students in both countries to further develop their mindsets and skill sets. We are excited about the positive impact this will bring to both nations.”

Mr. Wesley Hui, Founder of WiseNet Asia Pte Ltd, said: “We are excited to join forces with SUSS to establish this representative centre in Malaysia. This collaboration is a pivotal step towards shaping the future of young talents, providing them with opportunities for early-stage development. It will allow us to cultivate and mentor young executives, equipping them to thrive in a dynamic world driven by innovation, cutting-edge technologies, and groundbreaking discoveries.”

The launch of the Success Academy in Kuala Lumpur marks the latest in a series of academy openings as SUSS continues to expand its educational footprint across Asia. Last year, SUSS established three academies in Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing, and Shenzhen. Three days ago, SUSS launched an academy in Bangkok in collaboration with Orange Cap Innovative (OCI) and other partners in establishing an experiential education site for student leadership development focused on Social Sustainability. In the next three months, the University will inaugurate four more academies in Jakarta, Manila, and Mumbai, bringing the total to eight regional academies.

For more information, visit www.suss.edu.sg/success-academy.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Ms. Melissa Ho
Public Relations Executive
Singapore University of Social Sciences
E: melissaho@suss.edu.sg
T: +65 6248 9138

Ms. Regine Chin
GM, Marketing
WiseNet Asia
E: regine.chin@wisenetasia.com
T: +60 11 3688 2990

About Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS)

At SUSS, we have a singular vision to be a university that inspires learning for life and impacts lives, regardless of age, background or life path. Our university is a vibrant tapestry of ages and experiences. From recent JC and polytechnic graduates to seasoned professionals, parents seeking new horizons and individuals redefining their careers in their golden years—our diverse community comes together for one common goal: to empower themselves with an education that impacts lives and society.

We offer more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programmes, available in full- and part-time study modes which are flexible, modular and interdisciplinary, catering to both fresh school leavers and adult learners. SUSS also offers a broad range of continuing education and training modular courses for the professional skills upgrading of Singapore’s workforce.

To date, over 47,000 graduates have experienced our unique brand of education. More than 21,000 students are currently pursuing their full- and part-time studies with us.

The Institute for Adult Learning (IAL), as part of SUSS, leads in the field of research on adult and workplace learning and training of adult educators to build capabilities of the training and adult education sector in Singapore and beyond.

For more information about SUSS, please visit www.suss.edu.sg.

About WiseNet Asia

Founded in the year 2011, WiseNet Asia Pte Ltd is a one-stop HR solutions provider and management consulting firm headquartered in Singapore, with other locations in Kuala Lumpur, Chongqing and Hong Kong. WiseNet Asia’s HR solutions consist of talent acquisition, talent transition, talent development and HR outsourcing. WiseNet Asia’s core value is to accelerate human resources development through innovative HR models and knowledge sharing. WiseNet Asia’s Talent Development programmes offer learning and development solutions to inspire and align business leaders in Asia to achieve maximum success. We collaborate with renowned learning organisations in Singapore to customise programmes designed to unlock participants’ potential and boost their skillsets.

For more information on WiseNet Asia, please visit https://wisenetasia.com.

From left to right: – His Excellency Vanu Gopala Menon, High Commissioner of Singapore: Professor Tan Tai Yong, President of SUSS; Mr Wesley Hui, Founder, Wisenet Asia; – Dr. Ong Kian-Ming, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Taylor’s University

From left to right: Ms Yeo Lay, Dean of Students: Dr Yap Meen Sheng, SUSS Asst Provost; – Professor Tan Tai Yong, President of SUSS; – His Excellency Vanu Gopala Menon, High Commissioner of Singapore; Dr Winston Ong, VP Corporate; Mr Wesley Hui, Founder, Wisenet Asia