Singapore Institute of Management plans overseas teaching centres in Indonesia amid growing interest

[JAKARTA] The Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) – a private tertiary education institution that celebrates its 60th anniversary this year – aims to establish overseas teaching centres in Indonesia in response to growing student interest in South-east Asia’s largest economy.

SIM plans to establish its first such centre in Batam this year in partnership with the local education foundation Yayasan Haluan Abadi Sejahtera, following the success of its initial representative office in Jakarta established six years ago.

Gerald Lum, director of brand, marketing and communication at SIM, said that the centre aims to provide Indonesian students with the opportunity to pursue a diploma and a bachelor’s degree of their choice at SIM in Singapore upon graduation.

“The OTC (overseas teaching centre) partners will enable us to conduct teaching here for the first year, allowing students to save money before continuing their studies in Singapore for the second and third years,” he said at an event held in Jakarta on Wednesday (Jul 24).

SIM also plans to open an overseas teaching centre in the Indonesian capital, but it is still seeking local partners in education and industry to facilitate the teaching.

Professor Wei Kwok Kee, provost of SIM Global Education, said that through the overseas teaching centre framework, up to 500 Indonesian students annually will have the opportunity to pursue higher education programmes offered by SIM in collaboration with university partners in the UK, Australia, the US and Europe.

SIM also signed a memorandum of understanding with two high schools in Surabaya and Palembang. This partnership will enable SIM to engage with their students, assess their educational needs, organise seminars and workshops, and conduct scholarship interviews.

“SIM can facilitate scholarship interviews to provide increased financial support for prospective students, creating pathways for learners from all backgrounds through our scholarship programmes,” said Prof Wei.

In recent years, SIM has expanded its operations to 18 countries. Apart from Indonesia, there are representative offices in Malaysia, Vietnam, China and India.

Growing interest

Singapore is among the top countries chosen by Indonesian students for studying abroad, according to data from Indonesia’s ministry of education.

The Republic’s high academic standards, strategic geographical location, and secure multicultural environment have made it a favoured destination among Indonesian learners.

Since opening its first representative office in Jakarta in 2018, SIM has experienced an unprecedented increase in the number of Indonesian students opting to study in Singapore.

Its Jakarta office marks its pioneering overseas representation in the region.

Lum said: “Before opening our office in 2018, we had around 300 students from Indonesia in 2016 to 2017. Now, over the past three years, we have seen an increase to almost 900 to 1,000 students per year.”

SIM has graduated nearly 200,000 alumni worldwide, including nearly 6,000 from Indonesia. Indonesian students currently account for about 16 per cent of the university’s total international student enrolment.

Traditionally, Indonesian students have favoured fields such as finance, accounting and management, but there has been a growing interest in technology, computer science and data analytics.

Indonesia aims to drive its economy forward in 2045 through digital innovation, but the nation is grappling with a talent shortage and the looming threat of brain drain, which pose challenges to its economic ambitions.

The country’s young demographic highlights its pivotal role as a growth market for SIM, driven by its swiftly evolving higher education environment, technological advancements, economic growth and dynamic job market.

Recognising these conditions, SIM is offering programmes that provide all current learners and alumni with access to complementary and subsidised micro-credential courses from October 2024 to March 2025.

These courses cover career-ready skills to secure jobs, essential core skills to enhance work performance, and cutting-edge digital modules. Upon completion, learners will earn digital badges which enhance their employability.

Euleen Goh, chairman of SIM’s board of directors, said: “For 60 years, SIM has led in promoting lifelong learning, and enhancing the skills of Singapore and the region’s workforce. Our goal is to develop resilient, resourceful and responsible individuals who are highly sought after in the job market.”

In his remarks at the event, Singapore’s Ambassador to Indonesia Kwok Fook Seng underscored the importance of the partnership between Indonesia and Singapore in developing human resources to meet the evolving needs of the future workforce.

“Singapore is committed to journeying within Indonesia and realising the maximum potential of both our peoples for our shared prosperity. And as you can imagine, SIM as an institution has a role to play in this space,” he said.