Contributed by Samantha Lee

Republic Polytechnic, Thursday, May 13, 2010 – Republic Polytechnic (RP) and the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today that will help develop the next generation of sports professionals as well as strengthen industry collaboration. The MOU is the first for both RP and SSC and will help create more opportunities for youth in the sports industry.

Mr Oon Jin Teik, CEO of Singapore Sports Council said, “Sports in Singapore is a hyper growth industry, with many major developments and events coming on stream over the next 10 years, for example, the Sports Hub, the Changi Motorsports Hub and the Formula 1. This means more job opportunities and demand for skilled manpower in the sports industry going forward.

“The MOU with Republic Polytechnic is part of our overall sports industry manpower development plans where we partner Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL) to ensure adequate supply of manpower with the right functional competencies and skill sets to meet current and future demand.

“SSC will also work with Republic Polytechnic to strengthen the education-industry link so that academia is kept abreast of the latest sports industry trends and problems, and industry is actively engaging academia to find solutions.”

Mr Yeo Li Pheow, Principal and CEO of Republic Polytechnic added, “This agreement promises benefits for both RP and SSC, and ultimately the Singapore sports industry in general. The SSC will collaborate with RP as an academic institution to support their sports development initiatives, events and programs, and RP’s academic staff and students will gain exposure to industrial projects to complement their skills, while learning from industry practitioners and participating in real world programs and events.”

The MOU will see RP and SSC partner to facilitate and support the growth of the sports industry, and to enhance the capability and professionalism of stakeholders in the industry. Under the agreement, staff from RP and SSC will work together for the purposes of industrial and professional exposure, staff development, and exploration of joint projects, and also share access to each other’s sports facilities.

Additionally, the two organizations plan to organize conferences, workshops, offer full-time Diplomas and other courses for stakeholders in the sports industry, in areas such as leadership development, corporate governance, coach development, sports science, sports event management and sports marketing.

RP students will have the opportunity to work with the SSC, National Sports Associations and other industry players on projects, events and programs, providing the students with access to a vast pool of knowledge and expertise, which they may then apply to their Final Year Projects and Industrial Immersion Programs. Under the MOU, SSC may also offer outstanding RP students scholarships and book prizes.

The MOU is for a period of five years, with the opportunity for the two parties to extend it.