PSB Academy to offer greater access to quality higher education for self-help group members

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 14 January 2017 - Over 200 members of Eurasian Association, Yayasan MENDAKI, and SINDA will be able to choose from a variety of diploma and undergraduate degree programmes offered at PSB Academy by tapping on scholarships valued at S$2.7 million. As part of its Accessable Initiative, PSB Academy has pledged to fund these scholarships, which will be disbursed to members of these self-help groups over the next three years.

Left to right: Mr Kumaran Barathan, CEO, SINDA, Mr Benett Theseira, President, The Eurasian Association, Mdm Rahayu Buang, CEO, MENDAKI, Mr Viva Sinniah, Executive Chairman, PSB Academy and Mr Derrick Chang, Acting CEO, PSB Academy partner to offer up to S$2.7 million worth of scholarships to association members over 3 years. 

The scholarship programme will enable each self-help group to tap into the following schemes over the next three years: Full subsidy of course fees for full-and-part-time PSB Academy diploma courses for 20 students per year; full subsidy of course fees for full-time degree programmes from PSB Academy's university partners Coventry University and Edinburgh Napier University for one student per year; 50 percent subsidy of course fees for part-time degree programmes from PSB Academy's university partners Coventry University and Edinburgh Napier University for two students per year.

Scholars will be selected at the recommendation of respective self-help groups. Successful applicants will be considered based on their academic grades, exemplary behaviour and financial standing. More details will be available on the websites of these respective groups.

Last year, PSB Academy disbursed about $1.2 million worth of these scholarships and financial aid to students in need, in line with national efforts to encourage youth and workers alike to pursue their passion, upskill and reskill for the future economy. In the same year, the Academy also partnered with Singapore's largest credit co-operative, The Credit Co-operative (TCC) to offer interest-free study loans to members of the co-operative.

"Education excellence is one of the key pillars of the EA, and one which we believe is an important social leveller. We are proud to be able to partner with PSB Academy to offer our Eurasian community more choices for quality higher education, which could serve as their launch pads to success" says Mr Benett Theseira, President, The Eurasian Association.

"We are happy to continue our partnership with PSB Academy. The scholarship gives more opportunities for the Malay community to gain quality higher education and be future-ready. We welcome more of such initiatives to help us nurture future leaders," says Mdm Rahayu Buang, CEO, Yayasan MENDAKI.

"We are glad to be a part of today's ceremony and the launch of these new scholarships. In line with our mission as a self-help group for the Indian community, PSB Academy's Accessable Initiative serves to strengthen youth development by guiding them to stay focused and aim higher in their aspirations, and grooms well-educated, resilient and confident students who are ready to tackle the new economy," says Mr. Kumaran Barathan, CEO, SINDA.

"As Singapore's leading private education institution, the opportunity to support local self-help and community groups through our scholarship and bursary programmes continues to serve as an important reminder to be focused on our community close to home, even as we seek to groom graduates to be ready for the international stage. Last year, we committed to engaging even more organisations in Singapore and to extend our reach, and we are glad to have The Eurasian Association as our newest partner in this initiative, in addition to our valued and long-time partners SINDA and MENDAKI," says Derrick Chang, Acting CEO, PSB Academy.

About PSB Academy

Productivity is at the heart of PSB Academy. Once known as Singapore's Productivity and Standards Board, PSB Academy is known today as "The Future Academy", with an approach to education that focuses on what really matters: performance in the real-world.

In 2016, The Academy was conferred "Best private education institution in Singapore" by the Business Excellence and Research Group, and hosts over 11,000 local and international students in its slate of certificate, diploma, degree and postgraduate programmes every year.

PSB Academy voluntarily commissions reputable external research firms to conduct graduate employment surveys as one of several key measures of graduate outcomes. Last year, idstats research consultancy found that around nine in 10 local/ international students found perm/temp employment within six months of graduation; six in 10 benefitted from pay raises and/or career progression; and that graduates took 2.1 months on average to find employment.

PSB Academy is situated at two campuses in Singapore: PSB Academy Delta and PSB Academy City Campus at Marina Square. Learn more at: www.psb-academy.edu.sg.