SINGAPORE – Leading global communications group, Starcom MediaVest Group Singapore (SMG), has entered into a partnership with Singapore Polytechnic’s (SP) School of Communication, Arts and Social Sciences (CASS), to build a first-of-its-kind student integrated marketing communication agency within Singapore’s most established polytechnic.
As part of this novel agreement, up to six of SMG’s senior executives, including Mr. Jeffrey Seah, CEO, Southeast Asia, will put on the educator’s hat and share their expertise and experience with more than 100 second-year students from the Diploma of Media and Communication (DMC).
Together, these communications specialists have amassed nearly 75 years of experience among them. Their sharing will be in the form of regular guest lectures, as well as individual and group mentorship opportunities.
Ms. Low Lay Leng, Deputy Director of CASS, said, “With the convergence of the media landscape worldwide, we recognise the rising importance of ensuring that our students are equipped with the necessary skills in integrated and holistic communications. We have hence created a living laboratory in the form of the integrated marketing communication agency in SP, to enable students to embrace authentic learning and apply it in the communications world.”
She added, “Starcom MediaVest Group is a leading global brand communications group, and who better to mentor our students than current communications practitioners who are also subject matter experts in their own fields. We are confident that our students will benefit greatly from SMG’s expertise, as well as the real-world experiences they will gain through their work in the student agency.”
To give participating students a flavour of what actually happens in the real communications world outside of the classroom, students will have the opportunity to work on real life client briefs provided by their SMG mentors. The students will be evaluated based on their ideas and concepts, and they will receive frank and honest feedback from the SMG mentors.
To ensure DMC students of all levels are given exposure and the opportunity to tap on SMG’s collective expertise, the six representatives from the agency will be providing over 150 hours of their time spread across the academic year, and will also sit in on the critique sessions where students will pitch their best creative ideas.
Learning is also taken out of the SP classroom setting with students being invited to attend relevant external training sessions conducted by SMG.
Mr. Jeffrey Seah, CEO, Southeast Asia, of Starcom MediaVest Group, said, “At SMG, we believe in futureproofing and nurturing the next generation of marketing and communications professionals, so as to cultivate a sustainable eco-system and talent pool for the industry that we are a part of.”
He added, “In the last decade, the punishing pace of change driven by digital advancements, as well as the lessons learnt from these rapid developments, have not found their way into formal tertiary classrooms in Singapore. We are pleased to have found the right partner in Singapore Polytechnic to address these needs. We are looking forward to the knowledge exchange with the DMC students, where the sharing of our collective expertise and experiences can help create a progressive and engaging learning environment for them.”
More details on this first-of-its-kind student integrated marketing communication agency within Singapore Polytechnic, and subsequent projects and initiatives, will be unveiled from April 2012.