Management Development Institute of Singapore

Management Development Institute of Singapore
Established	1956
Type	Private
President	Dr. Eric Kuan Choon Hock
Location	501 Stirling Road, Singapore
Campus	MDIS Campus & MDIS Dhoby Ghaut
Website	www.mdis.edu.sg

The Management Development Institute of Singapore (MDIS), founded in 1956, is Singapore's oldest not-for-profit professional institute for lifelong learning.

MDIS provides well-accredited courses, seminars and management services and opportunities for individuals to develop professionally through academic programmes in Business and Management, Engineering, Information Technology, Life Sciences, Mass Communications, Psychology and Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Management. They are offered in collaboration with highly acclaimed universities in Australia, France, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Its current student enrolment is approximately 13,000, out of which about 5,000 are international students from 69 different countries.

History

1955

In 1955, a group of personnel managers got together to discuss industrial relations problems and issues facing them at the time. It was this coming-together that sparked off the formation of SAMTAS, or the Supervisory and Management Training Association of Singapore.

Understanding that supervisors were probably the best people to identify and solve any labour problems, training was catered primarily to these supervisors on aspects from job relations to industrial safety. Certified courses, seminars, lectures, film shows and excursions were organised on a regular basis. The main challenges facing SAMTAS at the time were the availability of good lecturers and lecture venues. The first inaugural meeting was held on 29 November 1955 where Mr Loke Wan Tho was named its first President. In April 1956, SAMTAS was formalised.^{[citation needed]}

1963

In 1963, SAMTAS pioneered the Training-Within-Industries (TWI) courses in Singapore. In line with the Singapore government's plans to promote industrialisation in the country, these were courses on supervisory skills initiated by the then Ministry of Labour.

1984

The plan to upgrade SAMTAS' status to that of a professional Institute was initiated in 1982. The change of name from SAMTAS to MDIS, or the Management Development Institute of Singapore, was made official on 8 February 1984. The purpose of this move was to give a more professional image and to upgrade the individual membership by allowing the use of designatory letters.

SAMTAS, and then MDIS, is the oldest professional institute in Singapore today.

From as early as 1986 to today, MDIS has collaborated with various universities in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Australia to offer credible certified courses. Besides its certified courses from Certificate to Master's level, MDIS also conducts seminars, in-house training and consultancy services and offers membership services and privileges.

1995 to 2007

Since 1995, MDIS had explored the feasibility of recruiting students from abroad. This had proven to be worth the while and an International Affairs Department was set up in 1998 to handle the affairs of foreign students studying with MDIS. In March 2001, the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Singapore announced that MDIS is a recognised educational institute in China. To date, MDIS has helped almost 3,000 foreign students attain better academic qualifications through its courses.

MDIS was accorded charity status on 23 August 1996 under the Charities Registration Act, 1994. On 19 November 1997, MDIS was awarded the ISO 9001 certification. On 7 November 2000, MDIS received the People Developer Standard certification. The MDIS Education Trust Fund received its Institution of a Public Character and Charity status in 2002. In 2003, MDIS was among the first seven education institutes to receive the Singapore Quality Class award for Private Education Organisations(PEOs).

MDIS actively takes the lead and involves itself in many community projects. Some of these are cited here:

Scholarships and Bursaries to organisations like the four self-help groups (Yayasan MENDAKI, CDAC, SINDA and The Eurasian Association), NTUC, SAFRA, CDANS and SPANS, and students from the secondary schools, junior colleges, ITEs and Polytechnics have been given out yearly since 1996. From the year 2001, together with the support from generous donors like university partners and other organisations, about a quarter of a million dollars were presented each year.

In 1999, MDIS collaborated with the drama and dance faculty of the Oklahoma City University to present the American Spirit Dance Company's performance from 23 to 25 April, and the Charity Gala Dinner. A total of $272,000 was raised in aid of the Society for the Physically Disabled (SPD) and the MDIS Education Trust Fund.

In 2001, MDIS worked jointly with the ITE to collect cans in aid of the Community Chest and ITE. The "I Can Do It", project brought in almost 450,000 cans and a total of about $120,000.^{[citation needed]}

2008 to the Present

MDIS set up it first overseas campus in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, built in 2008 at a cost of US$20 million. It was announced on 28 June 2010 that MDIS would be setting up an S$130 million overseas 30-acre (120,000 m²) campus in Iskandar Malaysia which is expected to start work at the end of 2011.^[1] The campus is Malaysia is expected to be five times as big as the MDIS Campus in Singapore.

Campuses

MDIS has two campuses, MDIS Campus and MDIS Dhoby Ghaut.

MDIS Campus

MDIS has a history of providing training and educational services to the community and the nation. The $35 million MDIS Campus occupies a three-hectare land area. It has state-of-the-art classrooms, biomedical laboratories, computer laboratories, a hospitality training centre, a mass communications studio and sports facilities such as a gym, and badminton and table-tennis courts. The Campus also has an amphitheatre that can house art performances and other events.

The Campus is Wi-Fi enabled, allowing students access to the World Wide Web anywhere on campus. In addition, MDIS enhances students’ learning experience with the Blackboard Learning System and Video Streaming Technology which allow online access to lecture notes, learning resources and recorded lessons anytime, anywhere.

Facilities

• Badminton courts • Bookshop (Brainwaves) • Cafeteria • Computer laboratories • Dance studio • Fully equipped gymnasium (Energy HUB) • Hospitality training centre (Tropical Breeze) • Lecture theatres • Lecture rooms • Life sciences laboratories • Language laboratories • Library (Resource HUB) • Mass communications studio (Media HUB) • Multi-purpose hall (SAMTAS HALL) • Members’ Corner • Open-air amphitheatre • Wireless network system (Wi-Fi)

MDIS Dhoby Ghaut

At Orchard Road, near Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station, it is a location of convenience for part-time students attending classes after work.

Faculties

MDIS offers academic programmes in 7 main disciplines:

MDIS Business School

The largest and most established school at the institute, the MDIS Business School (MBS) is one of the largest business schools among private education organisations in Singapore, with an annual intake of more than 4,000 students.

MBS offers more than 40 programmes ranging from certificates and diplomas, to Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctorate degrees. MBS has launched specialisations in the areas of entrepreneurship, marketing, international business, and banking and finance to meet the needs of the working professionals.

Doctorate

Doctor of Business Administration - Awarded by Southern Cross University, Australia

Certificate

Professional Certificate in Business Management - Awarded by MDIS, an Associate Institute of the University of Bradford, UK

School of Engineering

The School of Engineering is the latest addition to the growing list of MDIS Schools. It opened its doors to the first batch of students in May 2010. The School of Engineering’s mission is to nurture engineering professionals in diverse disciplines through delivering first-class engineering education, teaching excellence and providing them with an opportunity for leadership development.

Higher Diploma Higher Diploma in Mechanical Engineering - Awarded by MDIS and recognised by the University of Glasgow, UK Higher Diploma in Mechanical Design Engineering - Awarded by MDIS and recognised by the University of Glasgow, UK

Diploma Diploma in Engineering - Awarded by MDIS and recognised by the University of Glasgow, UK

School of Life Sciences

As the first Private Education Institution in Singapore to offer Life Sciences programmes, the MDIS School of Life Sciences was established in 2001.

Classroom-knowledge aside, students will also gain hands-on experience in the School’s state-of-art laboratories, and can even get the chance to work on both in-house as well as commercial research School of Life Sciences International Student Prospectus 2010/2011 projects. The School has recently implemented the Occupational Health and Safety Management system and the laboratories are now OHSAS 18001:2007 certified, another first among private educational laboratories in Singapore.

Degree

Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Biomedical Sciences (With Specialisations in Cancer Biology or Medical Cell Biology or Medical Biochemistry) - Awarded by the University of Bradford, UK Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Pharmaceutical Management - Awarded by the University of Bradford, UK

Certificate

Foundation Certificate in Biomedical Sciences - Awarded by MDIS, an Associate Institute of the University of Bradford, UK

School of Media and Communications

MDIS is one of the first schools to offer mass communication degree programmes and a pioneer in Singapore for offering an American University programme in partnership with Oklahoma City University (OCU).

MDIS offers students a media environment that rivals some of the best government aided institutions in Singapore. The school's Media Hub, consisting of a fully equipped TV control room, TV and Radio Studio, and complete HD Video Edit suites makes it the only PEI to have such facilities for practical training. This allows aspiring TV producers to shoot, direct and edit their own productions and Radio students to become Superstars over the airwaves!

COURSES

Postgraduate Degree

Master of Arts in Mass Communications - Awarded by Oklahoma City University, USA

Degree

Bachelor of Arts (in Liberal Studies with concentration in Mass Communications) - Awarded by Oklahoma City University, USA

Advanced Diploma

Advanced Diploma in Mass Communications - Jointly awarded by MDIS and Oklahoma City University, USA

Diploma

Diploma in Mass Communications - Jointly awarded by MDIS and Oklahoma City University, USA

Certificate

Professional Certificate in Marketing and Communications Management - Jointly awarded by MDIS and Oklahoma City University, USA

School of Psychology

Degree

Awarded by Oklahoma City University, USA • Bachelor of Science (Incorporating Advanced Diploma in Psychology) • Bachelor of Arts

Advanced Diploma

Jointly Awarded by Oklahoma City University, USA and MDIS • Advanced Diploma in Psychology

Diploma

Jointly Awarded by Oklahoma City University, USA and MDIS • Diploma in Psychology • Diploma in Psychology (Incorporating Professional Certificate in Psychology)

Certificate

Jointly Awarded by Oklahoma City University, USA and MDIS • Professional Certificate in Psychology SDF Approved

School of Technology and E-Learning

The MDIS School of Tourism and Hospitality welcomed its first batch of diploma students in August 2006 and subsequently the Bachelor’s students two months later. Since then, the school enjoys close collaboration with universities from Australia and the United Kingdom.

To date, more than 2,800 students from over 20 countries have joined the MDIS School of Tourism and Hospitality.

TROPICAL BREEZE – HOSPITALITY TRAINING CENTRE

The rapid increase in student population brought about more developments for the school. MDIS invested more than a quarter million dollars on a training centre to equip students with the professional knowledge and skills to work in the various industries.

The Hospitality Training Centre, Tropical Breeze, which occupies a floor area of 1,400 square feet (130 m²) at MDIS Campus, has three main practicum: front office service operation with Micros Fidelio Property Management System, food and beverage service operation with well-equipped bar counter facilities, and housekeeping service operation with a mock-up hotel guest room. In addition, the students also learn invaluable personal development skills that will give them a competitive edge over others by the time they graduate.

On 24 October 2007, Mr Lim Swee Say, Minister in Prime Minister’s Office and Secretary-General of National Trades Union Congress officiated at the launch of Tropical Breeze. In the presence of the media and industry partners, this marked a historic day for the MDIS School of Tourism and Hospitality.

Postgraduate Degree Master of International Tourism and Hotel Management - Awarded by Southern Cross University, Australia (CRICOS : 01241G, 03135E)

Degree

Bachelor of Science (Hons) International Tourism and Hospitality Management - Awarded by University of Sunderland, UK

See also

• List of universities in Singapore

External links

• Management Development Institute of Singapore's Web site
• QueensTown Free Online Community Forums (QueensTownToday.COM)
• Webometrics Ranking of World Universities

References

1. ^ http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/1066231/1/.html 'Channel NewsAsia: MDIS sets up second overseas campus in Iskandar Malaysia'