Singapore, 15 August 2019 – The Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre and School of Humanities & Social Sciences (HMS), Ngee Ann Polytechnic, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today to strengthen efforts in cultivating the next generation of advocates for Singapore distinctive Chinese culture.
Signed by the Cultural Centre’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Low Sze Wee and Ms Lynn Fong, Director of HMS, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, the MOU will provide meaningful opportunities for students to champion Singapore’s Chinese culture through selected funding of final-year projects, provision of internship opportunities, and industry mentorship with guidance from senior management mentors across different departments at the Cultural Centre, including access to the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Programmes.
Extending the outreach to a wider audience, the MOU will also provide industry attachment opportunities for teaching staff to ensure the relevance of industry knowledge, and venue partnership with cross-publicity of events, which will aid in achieving a wider reach. The MOU will remain in force for a period of two years and is renewable upon mutual agreement between both parties.
Said Mr Low, “The Cultural Centre actively works with partners in the community to develop new programmes to promote Singapore Chinese culture. We have been working with Ngee Ann Polytechnic on several projects, and felt that this is an opportune time to further fortify the relationship and work together to foster greater appreciation of our Chinese culture among the younger generation. We feel that such collaborations with education institutions are very meaningful, as these young creative minds can think out of the box, and increase greater appreciation of our local Chinese culture through novel and thought-provoking approaches.”
“Heritage, culture, and community engagement feature strongly in our diplomas. Through this partnership with the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, we hope to encourage our students to generate new ideas, and to create events and activities that will bring the community together,” echoed Ms Fong.
The MOU is an extension of past successful initiatives between both institutions which include training of student guides for exhibitions and trails at the Cultural Centre, as well as working with students to conceptualise and develop cultural toolkits for preschoolers and self-guided tours around the centre.
In line with the Cultural Centre’s ongoing education initiatives to cultivate the next generation of cultural lovers, other collaborations with tertiary institutions to date include the “Diversity and Singapore Ethnic Chinese Communities International Conference” which was jointly organised with the Department of Chinese Studies, National University of Singapore in April this year. The Cultural Centre also provides research grants to higher learning institutions such as Nanyang Technological University, National University of Singapore and LASALLE College of the Arts in the areas of Chinese visual arts, Chinese performing arts, Chinese culture and Impact of Chinese arts and culture on Chinese identity.
For more information about the Centre’s education initiatives and potential collaborations, please contact education@singaporeccc.org.sg.
