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SMU Launches Resilient Workforces Institute to Strengthen Singapore’s Workforce in the Age of AI
Partnerships with SkillsFuture Singapore and Equinix anchor research on AI’s impact on jobs, skills and lifelong learning
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 January 2026 – Singapore Management University (SMU) today announced the launch of the Resilient Workforces Institute (ResWORK), a new university-level research institute advancing workforce resilience and lifelong learning amid accelerating technological change. It is among the first institutes in Singapore and the region to jointly study adult-learning and the future of work through an integrated, interdisciplinary lens spanning economics, management, behavioural science and technology.
Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, graced the launch as Guest-of-Honour. In his remarks, Dr Janil highlighted the importance of partnerships with industry, enabled by research, in overcoming workforce disruptions brought about by artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.
Professor Lily Kong, President, Singapore Management University, said: “The launch of the Resilient Workforces Institute reflects SMU’s commitment to research that matters – research that shapes public policy, informs organisational practice and ultimately strengthens the resilience of Singapore’s workforce. By bringing together insights across disciplines, ResWORK will help Singapore and the region navigate the profound changes reshaping work and learning in the age of AI.”
ResWORK will serve as a focal point for trans-disciplinary research across SMU, organised around three core pillars:
- Optimising Human-Machine Collaboration: enabling workers to learn and perform effectively alongside AI, machines and robotics
- Transforming Organisations: redesigning business processes, leadership and work practices for AI-enabled workplaces
- Maximising Societal Human Capital: analysing labour-market transitions and shaping policies that promote inclusive, gainful employment
Research momentum has already begun ahead of the formal launch, with ResWORK having secured the participation of several globally renowned visiting scholars and over 20 faculty members across SMU’s six schools. ResWORK faculty has recently initiated nine internally seed-funded research projects, as well as multiple externally funded research programs, collectively worth over S$1.5 million in funding.
These early projects reflect the Institute’s emphasis on applied, policy-relevant research developed in collaboration with public agencies and industry partners. (Note: See Annex A for a list of research projects that were awarded seed grants.)
SMU has committed S$5 million over five years to anchor the Institute, with a goal of securing an additional S$8 million in external research funding within three years, enabling ResWORK to scale its partnerships and research programmes over time.
Professor Archan Misra, Vice Provost (Research) and Interim Director of ResWORK, said: “ResWORK is built on the belief that AI-led change will reshape opportunity rather than displace it. Our research agenda is designed to move beyond diagnosis to solutioning—working with government agencies, employers and other partners to generate evidence that informs policy, organisational practice and lifelong learning systems. I’m enthused to see how colleagues across the spectrum of Management, Economics and Computing disciplines have already come together to collectively frame a positive research agenda that formulates AI-led workplace transformations as an economic opportunity, as well as a driver of innovations in adult learning practices. The launch builds on momentum that is already underway and marks the start of SMU’s sustained efforts to help shape a resilient, future-ready workforce.”
Anchoring National Workforce Priorities through Collaboration with SkillsFuture Singapore
At the launch, SMU and SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG) also signed a two-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to mutually identify and drive strategic research on how Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital technologies, and generational changes in work preferences are transforming job tasks, skills demand and career and learning pathways, and translate these insights into policies that sustain employability and inclusive growth.
In addition, it will look into how adult learning systems can be redesigned for higher participation, retention and impact, and how organisations can combine human and machine capabilities to raise productivity while preserving meaningful work.
Mr Tan Kok Yam, Chief Executive of SkillsFuture Singapore said: “Our partnership with SMU on ResWORK is driven by a singular objective: to future-proof the national SkillsFuture system. By future-proofing, we mean that adult learning must adapt to the effects of emerging, rapidly changing technologies to workforce dynamics, so that the training received by learners best equips them for these changes. The system also must acquire a deep understanding of what employers want from their workers, where and how jobs have changed in nature, and what skills and attributes allow workers to best succeed. ResWORK seeks to help build such capabilities for our national adult training system.”
Industry Partnerships Driving Applied Research on AI Disruption and Workforce Resilience
Complementing the national collaboration with SSG, ResWORK will work with industry partners to translate research into practice.
SMU received a contribution of S$450,000 from Equinix to advance applied research under ResWORK. The contribution will support a flagship systemic research project on occupational exposure to AI within Singapore’s labour market.
Led by Professor Li Jia, Dean, School of Economics; Lee Kong Chian Professor of Economics; (courtesy appointment in the Lee Kong Chian School of Business) Econometrics Lead, SMU Urban Institute, the study will develop Singapore’s leading reproducible, transparent and publicly accessible index measuring AI exposure in new job vacancies across occupations, industries and worker segments. By analysing job advertisements and task requirements over time, the research will track how AI-related skills and task demands are evolving, and generate insights to inform workforce planning, reskilling programmes and employment policy.
This collaboration marks the first corporate-funded research initiative under ResWORK and reflects the Institute’s emphasis on data-driven, policy-relevant research with real-world impact.
Said Ms Leong Yee May, Managing Director, Equinix Singapore, “Equinix and SMU have enjoyed a long and collaborative partnership aimed at building a sustainable digital future. By partnering with SMU on its Resilient Workforce initiative, we’re investing in research that will help position Singapore as a regional leader on AI and the future of work, informing the design of targeted policies like reskilling programs.”
Annex A: ResWORK Seed-Funded Research Projects
Ahead of its formal launch, the Resilient Workforces Institute (ResWORK) has initiated nine seed-funded research projects, reflecting early momentum and active collaboration across SMU’s schools. These projects are organised around ResWORK’s three core pillars and focus on applied, policy-relevant research in partnership with public and private organisations.
Pillar 1: Optimising Human-Machine Collaboration
Research on technologies and tools (AR/VR, AI) that enable individuals to both learn and execute future tasks in collaboration with AI, machines and robots.
1. Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education: Evaluating AI Outputs and Metacognition of Law Students
Theme: Technologies for Augmenting Adult Learning
Principal Investigator: Gary CHAN Kok Yew, Full-time Faculty, Professor of Law, Yong Pung How School of Law
Why this matters: As AI tools enter education and professional training, this project examines how law students learn to critically evaluate AI outputs and reflect on them as part of their training to be legal professionals in the near future.
About the Project: This project examines how law students assess AI-generated legal reasoning, focusing on metacognitive awareness, reflective judgment, and responsible AI use. Using tort law as a testbed, it studies how learners adopt, revise or reject AI outputs, and identifies best practices for evaluating accuracy, clarity and reasoning quality. The findings will inform ethical AI integration in education and professional training.
Research Impact: Supporting and enhancing law students’ critical evaluation of and reflective judgement on AI outputs
2. Unfolding Motivation in Adult Learning with Generative AI
Theme: Technologies for Augmenting Adult Learning
Principal Investigator: NGO Chong Wah, Full-time Faculty, Lee Kong Chian Professor of Computer Science, Director, Human-Machine Collaborative Systems Cluster, ResWORK Fellow, School of Computing and Information Systems
Co-PI: Gary Pan @ SOA; Clarence Goh @ SOA; Venky Shankararaman @ SCIS; Dragan Gasevic @ Monash University
Why this matters: Mid-career workers are expected to reskill continuously, yet motivation and engagement remain major barriers to lifelong learning.
About the Project: This project investigates how generative AI can personalise adult learning to sustain motivation among mid-career learners balancing work, study and life demands. It develops a GenAI-powered learning system that provides conversational, self-regulated learning support through interaction with large language models. By analysing learning behaviour, dialogue patterns and behavioural signals, the research identifies how AI-driven scaffolding can improve engagement and learning persistence in adult education.
Research Impact: This project aims to uncover motivational processes in adult learning to inform the design of AI learning systems.
3. Building Reflection Competencies for Human-AI Collaboration: A Multi-Agent Training System
Theme: Changing Professional Practices in the Workplace
Principal Investigator: NAH, Fiona Fui-Hoon, Full-time Faculty, Professor of Information Systems, ResWORK Fellow, School of Computing and Information Systems
Collaborators: Jiaqi WU YOUNG, PhD student @ SCIS; Ming WANG, Visiting PG Research student @ SCIS
Why this matters: Organisations often adopt AI faster than workers develop the skills to critically evaluate it, leading to over reliance or under reliance, declining judgment and missed productivity gains.
About the Project: This project addresses the problem of “cognitive debt” in AI-enabled workplaces by developing a multi-agent reflection training system embedded in AI tools. Drawing on motivation and behavioural theories, it designs and tests interventions that encourage users to reflect on, scrutinise and evaluate AI outputs. The research aims to provide scalable training approaches that balance AI adoption with human judgment and oversight.
Research Impact: Overcoming AI users’ cognitive debt through reflection training for a resilient workforce
4. Adaptive Skill Transfer: Reinforcement-Learned Scaffolding for Cognitive Personalisation in Adult Learning
Theme: Adult Learning Transfer
Principal Investigator: Pradeep Reddy VARAKANTHAM, Full-time Faculty, Professor of Computer Science, Director, CARE.AI Lab, Coordinator, BSc (CS) Artificial Intelligence Track, School of Computing and Information Systems
Co-PI: Annabel Chen Shen-Hsing, NTU
Collaborator: Swapna Gottipati @ SCIS, SMU
Why this matters: Reskilling often fails because learning systems ignore the cognitive strengths adults already possess.
About the Project: This research explores how adaptive AI systems can accelerate adult learning by leveraging existing reasoning and problem-solving abilities. Implemented within an adaptive learning platform, the project uses cognitive assessment and reinforcement learning to personalise both content and thinking strategies. By making skill transfer explicit and efficient, the study aims to improve learning speed, retention and reskilling outcomes.
Research Impact: Transforming adult reskilling from simple content delivery into a personalised, AI-driven bridge that leverages existing reasoning strengths to accelerate the mastery of complex skills
5. The Effects of AI-Based Cognitive Offloading on Metacognitive Skills and Learning Transfer in Adult Professional Learners
Theme: Adult Learning Transfer
Principal Investigator: YANG Hwajin, Full-time Faculty, Professor of Psychology, Associate Dean (Research), Lee Kong Chian Fellow, ResWORK Fellow, School of Social Sciences
Co-PI: Sarah Wong @ SOSS; Gary Pan @ SOA; Andree Hartanto @ SOSS
Collaborator: Wong Zi Yang, Research Fellow, SMU
Why this matters: While AI can make work easier, excessive reliance on it may weaken learning, judgment, and long-term skill development.
About the Project: This project examines how using AI tools affects adult learners’
metacognitive awareness (monitoring and regulating one’s learning) and learning transfer (applying knowledge to new situations) in professional development. Using a randomised controlled design, the study compares guided and unguided AI use to determine whether guided AI use enhances these cognitive skills or if unguided use undermines them through excessive cognitive offloading.
Research Impact: The findings will inform the development of AI-enabled training frameworks that promote durable learning, reflective thinking, and transferable skills among working adults.
6. Towards Measurable, Governed Onboarding for Human–AI Teams
Theme: Open Category
Principal Investigator: LEE, Min Hun, Full-time Faculty, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, School of Computing and Information Systems
Why this matters: AI adoption often fails not because of model accuracy, but because of people and workflow – users do not know when to trust, question or correct AI systems.
About the Project: This project transforms AI onboarding into an interactive, measurable learning experience that teaches users how to collaborate effectively with AI. Using a structured “Understand-Control-Improve” framework, it develops tools that promote calibrated trust, explainability, and safe intervention. The research aims to establish robust methods for governed human-AI collaboration in real-world decision-making workflows.
Research Impact: This project develops measurable, governed methods for human-AI collaboration that enable safe and effective AI adoption in real-world decision-making workflows.
PILLAR #2: TRANSFORMING ORGANISATIONS
7. Valuing Flexible Work Arrangements: A Discrete Choice Experiment with Employers and Employees in Singapore
Theme: Changing Professional Practices in the Workplace
Pillar: #2 / #3
Principal Investigator: KIM Seonghoon, Full-time Faculty, Associate Professor of Economics, Deputy Director, Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (ROSA), School of Economics
Co-PI: Cao Wenjia @ SOE, SMU
Collaborator: Kanghyock Koh, Korea University
Why this matters: Flexible work is now a national priority, yet evidence on its true value to employers and employees remains limited.
About the Project: This study quantifies how employers and employees value flexible work arrangements using large-scale discrete choice experiments. By estimating wage-equivalent trade-offs for different forms of flexibility, it provides evidence to inform organisational decisions and policy implementation following Singapore’s Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests. The research supports more sustainable, inclusive and productive workplace design.
8. Job insecurity and employee motivation
Theme: Changing Professional Practices in the Workplace
Principal Investigator: Nina SIROLA, Full-time Faculty, Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources, ResWORK Fellow, Lee Kong Chian School of Business
Why this matters: Rising job insecurity can quietly erode motivation and performance, even in organisations investing heavily in transformation.
About the Project: This project examines how managers’ beliefs about job-insecure employees influence leadership behaviour and intrinsic motivation. Rather than focusing only on worker stress, it identifies manager-driven mechanisms that can either undermine or sustain motivation. Through experimental and field studies, the research develops low-cost leadership interventions to support employee engagement and well-being during periods of uncertainty.
Research Impact: This project highlights how managers’ beliefs and leadership behaviours can either undermine or sustain the intrinsic motivation of job-insecure workers, pointing to a low-cost, belief-based lever for resilience.
PILLAR #3: MAXIMISING SOCIETAL HUMAN CAPITAL
9. Measuring the Impact of AI and Large Language Models on Singapore’s Labour Market: Constructing a Task-Level Exposure Index
Theme: Open Category
Principal Investigator: LI Jia, Full-time Faculty, Dean, School of Economics, Lee Kong Chian, Professor of Economics, Econometrics Lead, SMU Urban Institute
(courtesy appointment in the Lee Kong Chian School of Business)
Collaborator: Zhang Dandan, Peking University
Why this matters: Policymakers and employers need clear evidence on which jobs are most exposed to AI, and which are likely to benefit from it.
About the Project: This project develops Singapore’s first task-level AI-LLM Exposure Index by combining job posting data with detailed task information. Using novel econometric methods to address measurement uncertainty, it distinguishes between complementary and substitutive effects of AI on human labour. The resulting indices will inform workforce planning, reskilling strategies and national employment policy.
Research Impact: Measuring AI’s disruptive and enabling effects on Singapore’s labour market
Hashtag: #SMU
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About SMU
A premier university in Asia, SMU is internationally recognised for its world-class research and distinguished teaching. Established in 2000, SMU’s mission is to generate leading-edge research with global impact and to produce broad-based, creative, and entrepreneurial leaders for the knowledge-based economy. SMU’s education is known for its highly interactive, collaborative, and project-based approach to learning.
Home to over 13,000 students across undergraduate, postgraduate professional and postgraduate research programmes, SMU comprises of eight schools: School of Accountancy, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, School of Economics, School of Computing and Information Systems, Yong Pung How School of Law, School of Social Sciences, College of Integrative Studies, and College of Graduate Research Studies. SMU offers a wide range of bachelors’, masters’, and PhD degree programmes in the disciplinary areas associated with its schools, as well as in multidisciplinary combinations of these areas.
SMU emphasises rigorous, high-impact, multi- and interdisciplinary research that addresses Asian issues of global relevance. SMU faculty members collaborate with leading international researchers and universities around the world, as well as with partners in the business community and public sector. SMU’s city campus is a modern facility located in the heart of downtown Singapore, fostering strategic linkages with business, government, and the wider community. 
www.smu.edu.sg
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Siam Piwat appoints The Bureau of Wonders as international public relations consultant for Siam Paragon Bangkok Watch Week 2026
The Bureau of Wonders (BOW), a leading strategic communications and luxury brand consultancy, will collaborate with Siam Piwat to lead international market communications, elevate global awareness, and strengthen Siam Piwat’s position as a leading luxury destination developer.
Returning for its second edition, Siam Paragon Bangkok Watch Week 2026 will take place from 22–27 September 2026, reinforcing Bangkok’s position as Southeast Asia’s emerging capital of watch culture and haute horology. The event will bring together renowned watchmaking maisons, collectors, and connoisseurs from around the world to celebrate craftsmanship, innovation, and the heritage of fine timepieces.
Through this partnership, Siam Piwat aims to enhance international media engagement and further establish Thailand as a global destination for luxury, tourism, and retail experiences.
Hashtag: #SiamPiwat #BangkokWatchWeek2026 #TheBureauOfWonders #SiamParagon #SiamParagonBangkokWatchWeek2026 #LuxuryWatchDestination
https://www.siampiwat.com/en/home
https://www.linkedin.com/company/siam-piwat/
https://www.facebook.com/siampiwat.official/
https://www.instagram.com/siampiwat_official/
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
Siam Piwat
Siam Piwat is a leading retail and real estate developer behind Bangkok’s most iconic destinations, including Siam Paragon, Siam Center, Siam Discovery, ICONSIAM, and Siam Premium Outlets Bangkok, globally recognized for pioneering experiential destinations.
For over six decades, Siam Piwat has been renowned for creating iconic destinations and world-class experiences, continuously redefining Bangkok’s retail landscape through award-winning developments that set new global benchmarks. Guided by creativity, innovation, and sustainability, the company continues to lead with a bold vision that inspire, engage, and delight customers from around the world, while creating long-term value for society, businesses, and future generations.
The Bureau of Wonders
The Bureau of Wonders is an innovative communications agency renowned for its expertise in public relations, events, content creation, and brand strategy. With a focus on luxury, fashion, retail, beauty, lifestyle, hospitality, F&B, and the arts, we craft compelling narratives that resonate with an exclusive clientele across Southeast Asia’s vibrant markets.
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Construction Management Awards 2026 – Now open for nomination Introduction of the Inaugural “Excellent Construction Safety Culture Award” Guides the Construction Industry Toward a New Milestone in Safety
Deepening “Corporate Leadership, On-Site Implementation” to Reflect Excellent Governance Standards
Entering its sixth edition, the Awards continue to uphold their mission of creating a credible exchange platform for industry elites. In recent years, with society’s high emphasis on occupational safety and health, along with the widespread application of smart construction technologies, site safety has gone far beyond the traditional, rigid mindset of “checking in and re-inspecting”. The Institute thoroughly understands that excellent site safety performance does not rely solely on the routine compliance execution of frontline sites; it must stem from the forward-looking vision and comprehensive policy drive of corporate management.
To this end, this year’s Awards have comprehensively enhanced the judging criteria. Building upon the existing award categories, the judging perspective has been extended from frontline construction management to the macro corporate level, significantly increasing the weight of the “Safety” element in scoring to elevate industry standards. This edition will more comprehensively and deeply review the effectiveness of corporations in formulating and implementing safety management policies. In addition to frontline execution capabilities, the judging panel will place greater emphasis on how corporations promote an excellent construction safety culture from a policy level, including integrating tech solutions like Smart Site Safety Systems (SSSS) into long-term development strategies to safeguard site safety. Furthermore, special emphasis is placed this year on how corporations establish long-term accident prevention and continuous improvement mechanisms through institutional frameworks, embedding safety concepts into the core of corporate governance to lead a comprehensive transformation of the safety culture in Hong Kong’s construction industry.
Inaugural “Excellent Construction Safety Culture Award” with a Dedicated Judging Panel Establishes Industry Authority
Cr Alfred TANG, President of the Hong Kong Institute of Construction Managers, stated: “Site safety has always been the core focus most valued by the Government and the Institute. The Institute firmly believes that ‘Corporate Leadership, Safety Implementation, Everyone’s Responsibility’ is the key to driving industry transformation. To encourage more developers, main contractors, and stakeholders to actively play a top-down driving role, this year’s Awards have introduced the ‘Excellent Construction Safety Culture Award’, supported by an independent ‘Dedicated Safety Judging Panel’ composed of top senior safety experts and consultants in the industry to review the long-term effectiveness of corporate safety policies from the most rigorous and professional perspective. We firmly believe that this brand-new award and dedicated judging mechanism will effectively drive continuous progress in Hong Kong’s construction industry, laying a solid foundation for building a sustainable, safe, and highly efficient future.”
The “Construction Management Awards 2026” is opening for nominations from today until 31 August 2026. For details about the Awards, nomination forms, and judging criteria, please visit the Awards website (www.hkicm-cma.com).
Award Categories Overview
| Award Categories | Team / Corporate Awards | Corresponding Individual Award Categories |
| Building Project | Excellent Construction Team Award (Building Project) | A) Construction Manager Award B) Site Manager Award C) Engineer Award D) EHS Officer Award E) Construction Supervisor Award |
| Civil Project | Excellent Construction Team Award (Civil Project) | A) Construction Manager Award B) Site Manager Award C) Technical Manager Award D) Engineer Award E) EHS Officer Award F) Construction Supervisor Award |
| Corporate Project | A) Excellent Construction Safety Culture Award B) Excellent Construction Innovation Enterprise |
/ |
| Individual Project | / | Young Construction Manager Award |
Jury Panel
Chairman of the Judging Panel (Building Project):
Mr HO Chun Hung, JP, Director of Buildings, Buildings Department, HKSARG
Members of the Judging Panel (In apathetical order of surnames):
- Ir CHAN Siu Chung, Cedric, Chairman of Building Division, The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
- Prof CHAN, Isabelle Y. S., Associate Dean of the Faculty of Architecture; Associate Professor at the Department of Real Estate and Construction, The University of Hong Kong
- Mr LEE Hok-yin, Arthur, JP, Deputy Director/Regulatory Services, Electrical & Mechanical Services Department, HKSARG
- Cr TANG Yu-chi, Alfred, President, The Hong Kong Institute of Construction Managers
- Sr WAN Wai Ming, Tony, President, The Hong Kong Institute of Surveyors
- Ir Prof Michael C. H. YAM, Head of Department of Building and Real Estate, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Mr Emil YU Chen-on, President, The Hong Kong Federation of Electrical & Mechanical Contractors Limited
Chairman of the Judging Panel (Civil Project):
Mr HO Ying Kit, Tony, JP, Deputy Secretary for Development (Works) 3, Development Bureau, HKSARG
Members of the Judging Panel (In apathetical order of surnames):
- Ir Benjamin CHAN, JP, Project Manager (West), Civil Engineering and Development Department, HKSARG
- Cr CHAN Chi-man, Vice President, The Hong Kong Institute of Construction Managers
- Ir CHAN Ho-yee, Vice chairperson of Civil Division, The Hong Kong Institution of Engineers
- Prof Jack Chin Pang CHENG, Associate Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
- Mr HO Kwing-kwong, Alex, Director – Industry Development, Construction Industry Council
- Mr NG Wai-hong, Patrick, Project Manager/Major Works, Highways Department, HKSARG
- Prof Songye ZHU, Interim Head of Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Members of the Excellent Construction Safety Culture Award Judging Panel (In alphabetical order of surnames):
- Prof Dr Daron Wai Kwong LEUNG, Safety Adviser, The Hong Kong Institute of Construction Managers
- Dr Winson YEUNG, Principal Consultant, Occupational Safety & Health Council
Hashtag: #HKICM
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About HKICM
Established in 1997 with the sovereignty handover, Hong Kong Institute of Construction Managers (“Institute” or “HKICM”) is the only local professional institution representing the construction management profession in Hong Kong. The Institute has developed rapidly, with its members reached 3,439, of which 1,285 were Corporate Members (including Fellows and Members).
Our objectives are to secure the advancement and facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and expertise which constitutes and promotes the practice of and professionalism in construction management. The works of the Institute include setting standards for professional services and performance, establishing rules of conduct, promoting Registered Construction Managers and Construction Supervisors and promulgating the recognition of professional site supervisors. We believe that all construction sites need to be managed by registered professional construction managers to ensure compliance of operation with government laws, safety and environmental protection requirements. In order to improve the professional standard of technical personnel in an orderly manner, the government needs to register and recognize the professional qualifications of site supervisors.
In a rapidly evolving employment landscape, higher education institutions are expected not only to provide academic knowledge but also to support students in developing the relationships and networks that can contribute to personal growth and professional readiness.
The Role of Peer Connections in Student Development
University friendships often form an important part of the student experience. Developed through classes, group projects, student organisations, volunteering initiatives and campus activities, these relationships can provide a sense of community and belonging throughout a student’s academic journey.
Research has consistently highlighted the role of peer support in student engagement, wellbeing and academic persistence. Strong social connections can help students adapt to new learning environments, navigate challenges and participate more actively in campus life. For international students in particular, peer networks often play an important role in easing cultural transitions and fostering inclusion.
Beyond graduation, these relationships frequently evolve into long-term personal and professional networks that continue to provide support throughout different stages of life and career development.
Professional Networks and Career Readiness
Alongside peer relationships, professional networks have become an increasingly important component of higher education. Connections with alumni, faculty members, career advisors, employers and industry practitioners can provide students with valuable insights into workplace expectations, emerging industry trends and potential career pathways.
Such interactions help bridge the gap between academic learning and employment by exposing students to real-world perspectives and opportunities. Early engagement with industry networks can also support career planning, mentorship and professional development, equipping students with a deeper understanding of the skills and competencies required in the workforce.
As employers place greater emphasis on workplace readiness and transferable skills, access to professional networks can complement academic qualifications and enhance graduates’ ability to navigate competitive labour markets.
Integrating Student Life and Career Development
Many higher education institutions are responding to evolving student expectations by adopting a more holistic approach to education. This includes creating opportunities for students to engage in co-curricular activities, leadership development programmes, community initiatives and career-related experiences alongside their academic studies.
At SIM Global Education (SIM GE), student engagement initiatives and career development resources form part of a broader ecosystem designed to support both personal and professional growth. Through student clubs, leadership opportunities and career advisory services, students can build interpersonal skills, expand their networks and explore future career possibilities throughout their studies.
For prospective students comparing higher education options, the question is not whether university friendships or professional networks matter more. Both are important. University friends provide belonging, encouragement and shared experiences, while professional networks provide exposure, guidance and access to future opportunities. In an education environment where students are increasingly conscious of wellbeing, employability and return on education, institutions that integrate student life, career development and holistic support are better positioned to meet evolving expectations. A meaningful higher education experience is shaped not only by qualifications, but also by the relationships, confidence and networks that students carry forward.
Looking Ahead
As higher education continues to evolve, students are increasingly seeking learning environments that support both academic achievement and broader developmental outcomes. While qualifications remain important, the relationships, experiences and networks developed during university can also play a significant role in shaping future opportunities.
For prospective students, evaluating higher education options may therefore involve looking beyond curriculum and rankings to consider how institutions foster community, professional engagement and personal development. Together, these elements contribute to a more holistic educational experience and can support students as they prepare for the next stage of their academic, professional and personal journeys.
Reference:
- SIM Global Education Overview – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/sim-global-education/university-partners-sim-ge/sim-ge
- SIM CCA – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/life-at-sim/co-curricular-activities
- SIM Project 1095 – https://project1095.simge.edu.sg
- SIM Student Life – https://project1095.simge.edu.sg/student-life
- SIM Student Care – https://project1095.simge.edu.sg/student-care
- SIM Career Services – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/life-at-sim/career-services
- SIM Advantage – https://www.sim.edu.sg/degrees-diplomas/sim-global-education/sim-advantage
- NDPI Peer Support – https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/5/602
Hashtag: #SIMGlobalEducation #SIMGE #GlobalEducation #InternationalDegree #CareerReady #FutureSkills
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About SIM Global Education
SIM Global Education (SIM GE) is a leading private education institution in Singapore and the region. We offer more than 140 academic programmes ranging from diplomas and graduate diploma programmes to bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes with some of the world’s most reputable universities from Australia, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom, and the United States. SIM GE’s cohort is made up of 17,000 full- and part-time students and adult learners, of which approximately 41% are international students hailing from over 50 countries.
SIM GE’s holistic learning approach and culturally diverse learning environment aim to equip students with knowledge, industry skills and employability competencies, as well as a global perspective to succeed as future leaders in a fast-changing, technologically driven world.
For more information on SIM Global Education, visit www.sim.edu.sg
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