The latter half of 2009 saw ITE playing host to several groups of distinguished international visitors.

Most recently, on 26 November 2009, former Youth and Culture Minister of Cambodia, Professor Long Botta, visited ITE College West to pick up useful tips. During the tour of facilities, Professor Long Botta, who is currently an Associate Dean and Professor at the Pannasastra
University of Cambodia, interacted candidly with ITE staff and commended them for their dedication and expertise.

On 9 October 2009, Father Adolph Furtado, Director of Kurla campus of Don Bosco Technical Institute in India, exchanged pointers with Dr Ricky Tam, Principal, ITE College East, on the vocational training landscape and training needs in each other’s country, when the former visited ITE College East. Father Furtado was keen to improve the employability and exportability of workers back home. He was accompanied by representatives from IE Singapore and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore.

Insightful Exchanges
A high-level Panama delegation led by His Excellency Mr Larry Maduro, Panama Minister Ad Honorem, visited ITE College East on 20 August 2009 to study the symbiotic relationship between education and the economy. Accompanied by HE José Domingo Arias, Panama Vice Minister of Foreign Trade, and HE Mirna Crespo; Panama Vice-Minister of Education, as well as senior economic and investment advisors, HE Maduro examined how investments in education, particularly by leading industry players, can be a win-win formula to boost a country’s investment attractiveness.

In town for the 14th APEC Women Leaders Network Meeting, members of the Australian peak body, TAFE Directors Australia, visited ITE College East on 3 August 2009. As the national advocate of public vocational education in Australia, the delegation wanted to learn how ITE
has evolved to become a successful national VTE provider. The seven-member delegation was led by Ms Deb Daly, Chair of TAFE Directors Australia and Institute Director of Gold Coast Institute of TAFE. Visibly impressed by the training facilities of the college, Ms Linda Brown, Deputy Vice Chancellor (TAFE), Swinburne University, shared that “ITE was the best college among over 250 colleges that I have visited worldwide.”