Going for the Arts (II) - Fly with Lasalle-SIA

LASALLE-SIA College of the Arts is fast catching up with the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) as a premier tertiary arts institution in Singapore. It is the only other private arts institution in Singapore with government funding.

Founded in 1984, Lasalle-SIA college of the arts now serves 1400 students with its arts programmes ranging from Diploma to Master’s degrees. While this is only half the student size of NAFA, the college offers more than twice the number of arts degree and post-graduate degree programmes in the arts. Recently, the college received accreditation and validation from the Open University, the largest university in the UK for its undergraduate and postgraduate degrees with the Open University Validation Services (OUVS). The college is preparing itself to be a full fledge “Arts University” when its new campus in town is ready in 2007. The enrolment is expected to reach the same numbers as NAFA.

Like other private arts institutions in Singapore, LASALLE-SIA ‘franchises’ its degree programmes from foreign universities, mainly UK and Australia. Under such franchise arrangements Lasalle-SIA College does not ‘own’ the curriculum or the degree but is entitled to confer a certificate to the student. Some of the degrees include:

FACULTY OF PERFORMING ARTS

1. School of Dance: Diploma in Dance (Queensland University of Technology Bachelor of Arts)
2. School of Drama: Diploma in Drama (Queensland University of Technology Bachelor of Arts)
3. School of Music: Diploma in Music (Queensland Conservatorium,Griffith University, Bachelor of Music in Music Pedagogy)
   

FACULTY OF VISUAL ARTS

School of Design:

• Diploma in Design (Communication Design) from RMIT UniversityBachelor of Design (Graphic Design)
• Diploma in Design (Fashion Design) from RMIT UniversityBachelor of Arts (Fashion)
• Diploma in Design(Interior Design) from RMIT UniversityBachelor of Arts (Interior Design)
  

School of Fine Art :

• Diploma in Fine Art(Arts Management) & Diploma in Fine Art (Ceramics) from RMIT UniversityBachelor of Arts (Fine Art) RMIT University Master of Fine Art
• Diploma in Fine Art(Jewellery & Metalsmithing)
• Diploma in Fine Art (Painting)
• Diploma in Fine Art (Printmaking)
• Diploma in Fine Art (Sculpture)
  

School of Multimedia Art

• Diploma in Multimedia Art from University of Central England Bachelor of Arts (Multimedia Art)
• Diploma in Multimedia Art(3-D Animation)
• Diploma in Multimedia Art (Interactive Media)
• Diploma in Multimedia Art (Video)
  

So if you want a credible education in the Arts and still stay close to home, check out the Lasalle-SIA College of the Arts. This is a place where you will really benefit from the international exposure. Don't think of hiding in your studio at this college because it is a place where artist are really "exposed"!

Going for the Arts (I) - NAFA

The Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) is one of two private tertiary arts institutions in Singapore to be funded by the Ministry of Education.

NAFA opened its doors in 1938 but never really got off the ground until 1975. Today, you will witness three brand new purpose-built campus along Bencoolen Street, which boasts state-of-the-art facilities and modern amenities. All these have been possible after undergoing key curriculum development and leadership changes especially over the past ten years. NAFA has since earned its reputation as a high-quality institution offering innovative teaching, artistic creations and community outreach. The Academy currently operates four schools: the School of Visual Arts (SVA), School of Performing Arts (SPA), School of Fashion Studies (SFS) and School of Young Talents (SYT) to some 3000 full-time and part-time students.

NAFA offers three types of programmes:

• Diploma Programme comprising seven courses in Fine Art, Multimedia, Fashion Design, Visual Communication, Fashion Merchandising & Marketing, Music and Interior Design.
  
• Certificate Programme comprising 21 courses in Western Art, Chinese Painting, Chinese Calligraphy, Printmaking, Fashion Design, Kinder Art, Art for Lower Secondary, Sculpture, Visual Communication, Fashion Merchandising, Children's Art, Western Dance, Ceramics, Interior Design, Pattern Making, GCE 'O' Level Art, Chinese Dance, Multimedia, 3-D Metal Smithing, Photography and Studies of Chinese Antique Ceramics.
  
• Degree programmes at the Bachelors level.
  

So if you are thinking of the Arts as a career, check out NAFA as your first stop. Being the oldest in the business, it has a lot to offer in terms of local tradition and local flavour. It is an institution steep in history especially with Xiamen but like China as a whole, it is making the world its own stage. So if you are nearby Bencoolen street, have a cup of coffee and the wonderful pancakes at TCC café on the ground level too!

A checklist for private schools and training institution

Need a good education from a recognised university without losing your pants!

There are a number of things you need to keep in mind before you sign up for a course with a private school (here in Singapore). First of all, check with the Ministry of Education if the degree or diploma is recognised in Singapore. Not all degrees and diplomas from overseas universities are recognised here. Secondly you have to check if the private school offering the course is recognised. Even if it is, does it provide you quality education?

As a private school or training institution in Singapore, it must be registered with the Ministry of Education (Check out the MOE registration number). This is a minimum requirement. In recent years, the Government has taken further steps to ensure a high quality of education. As a private candidate, you should watch out for the following marks of quality in the school

1. Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organisation (SQC-PEO). This is an established and rather rigorous accreditation that shows that the school has proven itself to have a sound business practice in place.

2. ISO - 9000: This is another very well established international benchmark which shows that the school has put in place a set of process and procedures of sound international standards. ISO is awarded by the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC). It is the national agency for accreditation of conformity assessment bodies and operates under the aegis of the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING Singapore), a statutory board of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

3. The Consumer Association of Singapore Trust (CASE Trust) mark which endorses the good practice of payments and financial transactions with regards to course fees. This mark was recently introduced (2005) and it will take time before private schools and institutions get to be accredited.

In addition to the local marks of quality, you should also keep an eye on some overseas marks of quality should the course you are interested in is being provided by a University from abroad. Amongst the more recognised accreditation bodies to look out for are:

1. American council of educators

2. Accrediting council for independent colleges & schools (ACICS) - USA

3. Commonwealth register of institution and courses for overseas students (CRICOS)

4. European quality improvement system (EQUIS)

5. The higher education funding council for England

6. The open university in the united Kingdom

Too afraid to graduate

When I was pursuing my Masters programme overseas, I met many Singaporeans. We had many wonderful memories and lots of "pot luck" sessions together. One of the things you must learn to do when you are overseas is to bring along a slow cooker! It's a basic survival kit.

Some of them have been overseas since their college days. Got their degree, continued as research students to earn their way through their Masters and then decided to stay on and continue with their PhD. All in all, they could be spending more than 12 to 15 years in the University!

Initially, I marveled at their tenacity: their stamina to press on with their academic pursuit. Later on as you get to know them better, another aspect of this academic pursuit started to emerge. They revealed that they were too afraid to graduate. They had been enjoying the subsidized food and accomodation, and some of them worked part-time in the laboratories earning enough to take them on an occasional tour around the country. They had become too comfortable in the campus and were afraid to go back to their countries. Some of them were genuinelly concerned that they could not cope with the pressure of finding work and the stress of working life.

I have been fortunate to see both sides, and I enjoy working as well as studying. After a number of years working, it is really refreshing to take a break and do something intellectually stimulating. Now only will it bring a new dimension to your career, it also allows you to take stock of life and discover a part of yourself you might not known before. Returning to work after graduating is also something to look forward to. You feel all charged up and ready to go. It’s the excitement of wanting to share your newfound knowledge. So I really hope that for those who are pursuing further studies, especially those who continue after college, do not get too comfortable. One day, you might just be too afraid to graduate!

EASB as she goes

One of the up and coming private schools to watch in Singapore is the East Asian School of Business (EASB)

Established in the mid-2000, she represents one of the newer generation of private schools to be formed. Not only is EASB new in terms of its number of years in the business but also in its business model.

The starting point for EASB's business model is its brand of hybrid education. That is to say a blend of e-learning with traditional classroom lessons topped by formal accreditation with more than 30 well known Universities in UK, USA and Australia.

This business model is supported by a three-prong strategic framework. The first is a liaison office to co-ordinate local representation for all the foreign universities (ITM Associates). The second is the blended delivery platform comprising a traditional brick-and-mortar campus at Royal Brothers Building and a virtual campus comprising a Learning and Content Management System webbed into its Global e-University Network (GeUN). The third and final component is an executive search agency (ITTEL International Search) which it had acquired five years ago. Collectively, EASB hopes to draw promising talents from around the region, provide a comprehensive quality education and placed them in leading multinational companies around the world.

The school started on a modest pool of about 300-400 students five years ago. Today, she is positioned to support five times that number (500% growth). Within the next five years, she plans to acquire a dedicated campus to house these new brood of students under one roof.

Allow me to wish EASB bon voyage.

Value Based Management for the Private Schools

Margins are getting to be very low.

Students are harder to come by.

There are just not enough good quality trainers.

Strategic partners are demanding too much.

Indeed, the competition is getting tougher. It is a cut-throat business. In fact blood has started to flow for some.... But are you in a secured position? Even if you are, for how long. It's time to think about improving your economic value add. Read up about it at THINKMASTERS. Or simply pay a visit to our sister site at efrenzconnect before you too start to bleed.

How many private schools can Singapore support?

Just how many private schools can we support in Singapore?

Let's just begin by stating the obvious. By 2010, we will have five Institutes of Higher Learning offering degree courses and above. (National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, University of New South Wales and Singapore Institute of Management). Besides that, we have another five Polytechnics. On a conservative estimate, these insitutions will absorb 30,000 to 35,000 college -level students annually. That does't leave many seeking tertiary education in the private sector.

But are the private schools competing for the same pool? Well not quite. They are eyeing the 150,000 or more foreign students drawn to Singapore as the regional educational hub. Top that with another 50,000 mid-career go-getters seeking a career transition or simply an upgrade from their diploma or basic degree. You have a tidy 200,000 people potentially seeking degree courses and above.

Divide that number by 2,000 which is the decent number of private candidates a private school would need to sustain a credible institution. And the result you have is100 private schools.

Today, there are some 150 private schools actively canvassing for students. This is just half of the total number of private schools registered. To give you an idea of the scale and supply in the market, consider this. There are more private schools in Singapore than there are primary and secondary schools add together! More than 3/4 of these private schools were registered only in the last ten years.

So if you are in the education business, pick your partners well. They might not be there for you tomorrow.

Informatics Group - An early role model

Singaporeans should be proud of Informatics.

Established in 1983 during the heyday of the computerization era, Informatics was a household name and one of the most promising private training institution in Singapore.

It started off offering basic computer familiarization courses then leading onto diploma and higher degree in information communication technology. These offerings were with several prestigious overseas universities such as Curtin University of Technology (Australia), RMIT University (Australia), Oxford Brookes University (UK)

Informatics became hugely successful in the 1990s. Just as many private training institutions were struggling to tide over the recession period in 1997, Informatics was expanding into China, Japan and other parts of Asia. The Group also spun off Thames Business School, Purple Train.com and Informatics Professional Development Centre to expand into new areas of education and training such as e-learning, finance, business administration and even psychology

Expansions and ventures overseas comes with a fair share of risk. One set-back that badly hit the Group was an accounting scandal that surfaced in 2003. This led to a police investigation and consequently bad publicity for the group. The publicly listed group suffered badly on its share value and was in a danger of collapse. But fundamentally the group was healthy and had a good track record. Six months later, the Group regained its footing and started on a slow but sure path to recovery.

Informatics is not like what it used to be. But it is still a very viable training institution offering some of the best courses in town. As an institution, it is ISO accredited as well as a Singapore Quality Class. That explains why it also won the Brand Award in 2003. There is still a lot of life in this old dame of private training institution. Who knows, one day the pheonix may yet soar again.

Any alumni members of Informatics out there?