|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2008 has been a year of achievements and milestones for MDIS. While we have expanded
our global community, we have also taken the first step in our expansion plans.
From enlisting new university partners to adding new schools of discipline, MDIS
has established its first overseas campus in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Our aim remains
to provide holistic education and promote lifelong learning resulting in globally
recognised qualifications.
MDIS Overseas
On 12 November 2008, MDIS officially opened the doors of its first overseas campus
in Tashkent, the capital of the Republic of Uzbekistan, located in Central Asia.
MDIS' strategic move to Central Asia was made after the Uzbekistan government approached
MDIS to set up an education centre in Tashkent to offer world-class tertiary education
to its students and other students from the Central Asia region.
|
|
|
The invitation is a vote of confidence for MDIS' high quality education programmes
that lead to globally-recognised qualifications. MDIS Tashkent, established by the
Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated 5 September 2007,
has state-of-the-art classrooms and lecture theatres, computer laboratories, a hospitality
training centre, and sports facilities. The campus is also home to a hostel and
a library with over 150,000 print and online resources.
|
|
|
MDIS UniCampus
|
MDIS seeks to impart values and ethics to students through immortalised statues
around the UniCampus. On 18 December 2008, Associate Professor Ho Peng Kee, Senior
Minister of State, (Ministry of Law & Ministry of Home Affairs) unveiled ‘The Ten
Sages of The World’ statue at our UniCampus on Stirling Road.
The life-sized figures feature leading sages of the last three millennia. They include
Confucius, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Tiruvalluvar, Ibn Khaldoun, Samuel Johnson,
Louis Pasteur, Maria Montessori and Albert Einstein. These sages who come from different
eras, genders, races and religions represent the essence of great wisdom, immense
intellect, unfathomable intelligence, profound humanity and who in their lifetimes,
were firm believers in educating the spirit as well as the minds of individuals.
They represent values that are still needed in a world that is rapidly changing
and they help visitors and students alike to develop ethics that are critical to
living a worthy existence.
|
|
|
MDIS Reputation
|
|
In 2008, along with our achievements, MDIS was also in the news for upholding the
dress code. Several measures were taken to ensure that students adhered to the prescribed
dress code in an attempt to uphold the image and reputation of the institute. Emphasis
is laid on creating a healthy education environment where students are not distracted.
|
|
|
MDIS Community Spirit
|
One of the philosophies which the institute firmly believes in, is to uphold the
spirit of giving. Being a not-for-profit education institute, MDIS has always been
aware of its role as a caring corporate citizen and has conscientiously reached
out to help those in need.
In 2008 at the annual MDIS Scholarship and Bursary awards ceremony, 541 scholarship
and bursary recipients benefited from the awards amounting to nearly S$378,000.
MDIS has assisted them to pursue their dream of lifelong learning and obtain a better
education and career.
As part of their educational gifts, MDIS awarded a S$30,000 leap year baby scholarship
to Adam Jamal Clark, born on 29 February. At the UniCampus, the spirit of giving
was embodied in a two-day relief fund donation drive organised by MDIS staff for
the victims of the Sichuan earthquake in China and Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar. MDIS
staff and students also spread their goodwill and festive cheer among the residents
of the Jamiyah Home for the Aged and the children at the Jamiyah Child Care Centre.Another
visit brought cheer to 100 permanent residents and 25 day residents of Metta Home
for the disabled – many of whom were intellectually challenged. The visitors distributed
small tokens, entertained the residents and organised buffet meals.
MDIS’ role as a leading independent educational institute is reinforced with additions
to its growing list of university partners. Currently MDIS is proud to have 73 university
partners from across the globe.
We are also looking at new disciplines to support the aspirations of future generations
of students and Singapore and the regional economic drive in the relentlessly competitive
new world order. Our new School of Psychology and Early Childhood Education is a
step in that direction. In the year ahead, we are also exploring opportunities of
setting up a school dedicated to the teaching of engineering disciplines.
Though it has been a challenging year of global economic crisis, MDIS is proud to
have held its own and is looking forward to sustain growth in 2009.
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Council Members and
Academic Advisory Board Members for their valuable insights, guidance and contributions,
our staff, lecturers, university partners, suppliers and students for their relentless
hard work and continued
support. |
|
Dr Eric Kuan
MDIS President
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|