GLOBAL LEADERSHIP

“Congratulations, you have a very impressive system that is an example for the whole world. This is really visionary.”

HE Juan Manuel Santos
President of the Republic of Colombia (May 2012)

“ITE is world standard in high quality, innovative vocational education.”

Mr Marc Tucker, Ms Vivien Stewart and Ms Betsy Brown Ruzzi from the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE), United States (May 2012)

"Singapore has registered some of the world’s lowest youth unemployment rates. The government had succeeded in transforming the ugly duckling of its education system into an institution that many Singaporean youngsters were proud to go to, a place producing graduates who business wanted to hire."

Mr Marc Tucker, “The Phoenix: Vocational Education and Training In Singapore” (Washington, DC; National Center on Education and the Economy, 2012)

"Hardly any other country has got anything similar or comparable to the ITE and this reflects our commitment to have an education system catering not just to an elite or a minority but across the board to all our students."

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Official Opening Ceremony of ITE College West (18 April 2011)

“Since the 1990s, the government has worked hard to change ITE’s image. It has not only spent a lot of money on new facilities and better teachers but also put a great deal of thought into it, scouring the West for best practice in vocational training. And it has encouraged students who are used to failure to take pride in their work. That has involved discipline (a list displays the names of class-shirkers) but also fun outside the classroom: ITE has sports teams and concerts just like any university.

Singapore, already near the top of most educational league tables, has created yet another centre of excellence (ITE) that is beginning to attract foreign visitors”

“Go East, Young Bureaucrat – Emerging Asia can teach the West a lot about government” - The Economist (17 Mar 2011)

“Another remarkable feature of the Singapore education system is the value, attention and resources it devotes to lower level achievers, not just high achievers…The resources devoted to vocational and technical training are immense and the vocational and technical system is perhaps the best in the world – a significant element of the Singapore success story.

In many countries, technical education is looked down upon as a dead-end option, of low quality and typically out of step with the changing needs of employers. But vocational education has been an important pathway in Singapore’s journey to educational excellence..”

Strong Performers and Successful Reformers in Education: Lessons from PISA for the United States
OECD Publication 2011

“The ITE is the jewel in our crown … Most countries can boast of good universities or top schools for bright students, but few have been able to build successful vocational institutes … Foreign guests who have visited our ITE campuses are invariably impressed. They know this is the hardest sector in education. Sometimes after the visit, heads of state will turn to their educational officials and ask why they cannot have one. In fact, we get lots of requests to replicate ITEs in other countries.”

Dr Ng Eng Hen
Minister for Education and 2nd Minister for Defence

Keynote address at the “Building Blocks for Education: Whole System Reform” International Education Summit in Toronto, Canada, September 2010 and Groundbreaking Ceremony of the new ITE Headquarters and ITE College Central (1 December 2010)

“The Harvard award-winning Singapore Institute of Technical Education (ITE) has turned vocational education from a “place of last resort” to an “attractive market-relevant career-focused option” with about 90 percent of the students earning jobs in the field in which they were trained. ITE features include Hands-On, Minds-On, Hearts-On Education, a holistic approach consisting of a strong foundation in technical skills (“Hands-On”); independent thinking and flexible practitioners who are able to cope with changes (“Minds-On”); and developing the “complete person” with a passion for what they do, confidence and caring for the community and society (“Hearts-On”).”

Dr. Alan Ginsburg and Dr. Wayne Vroman, APEC HRD Working Group Lead Shepherd

”Developing Human Resources, Vigorously Promoting Employment and Realising Inclusive Growth” Paper for APEC 5^th HRD Beijing 2010 Ministerial Meeting (Sep 2010)

MOU with WorldSkills Foundation (27 February 2013)

Blossoming Partnership: ITE’s commitment to WorldSkills-related activities enters a new dimension with the setting up of world’s first WorldSkills Innovation Lab. The pioneer lab will work on a 3D Modelling and Virtual Reality design project to develop a range of interactive and experimental software applications for ITE's new Nitec in Floristry course. Mr Bruce Poh, Director & CEO/ITE, celebrates the collaboration at an MOU Signing Ceremony with Mr Tjerk Dusseldorp (right), Chair, Board of Trustees, WorldSkills Foundation.

Education Leaders from the Netherlands (15 February 2013)

A Glimpse into Multimedia Future: Governing Board Chairpersons from Dutch education institutions were enthralled by one of the latest projects on display at the Multimedia Design Centre at ITE College West. The Centre helps to enhance staff and students’ capabilities through project development in collaboration with industry.

Syddansk Erhvervsskole (SDE College), Denmark (13 - 14 February 2013)

Great Way to Pick Up Nursing Skills: Led by SDE College’s Vice Director, Mr Erland Boelskifte (in light blue shirt), representatives from the College learnt about the introduction of high-fidelity patient simulators into the curriculum at ITE College East’s Centre for Healthcare Simulation Training when they were in Singapore for a two-day study visit to explore collaboration opportunities with ITE.

Ambassador of Switzerland, His Excellency Thomas Kupfer (5 February 2013)

New Heights for Authentic Training: Newly appointed in November 2012, His Excellency Thomas Kupfer (with tie) learnt about the local Vocational and Technical Education System when he visited ITE Headquarters and ITE College Central. He experienced authentic learning and training at ITE College Central’s Aerospace Hub where students work on real aircraft and engine parts.

U Soe Thane, Union Minister in the President’s Office, Republic of the Union of Myanmar (4 December 2013)

Swimming in Ease: Mr U Soe Thane (centre), being shown how students were trained in the maintenance and repair of pool equipment, disinfection, and water balancing in pool water treatment. Minister Soe Thane was impressed with ITE’s efforts in re-creating work settings in the campus to facilitate students’ transition in the workforce.

His Excellency Danilo Astori, Vice President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay (9 November 2012)

What’s Cooking?: His Excellency Danilo Astori (third from left) experienced state-of-the-art technology at ITE College West’s La Vie Training Kitchen, which is wired with cameras and monitors that allow culinary students to review their efforts, as well as recipes and demonstration videos uploaded onto a repository. He lauded ITE for providing an all-rounded, globally attuned education for kinesthetic learners.