Singapore Schools Partner with Cebu Province to Help Boost Tourism Industry

The development of a 36-month Tourism and Hospitality Capability Development program for students and the tourism sector in Cebu is underway after two Singapore schools inked a partnership with the Cebu Provincial Government and the Department of Tourism (DOT).

Gov. Hilario P. Davide III, Republic Polytechnic (RP) principal and chief executive officer Mr. Yeo Li Pheow, and Temasek Polytechnic (TP) deputy principal Mrs. Lay-Tab Siok Lie signed the memorandum of understanding (MOU) yesterday at the Capitol.

The program is supported by the two learning institutions, with its benefactor, Temasek Foundation International (TFI), the DOT and the Cebu Provincial Government.

Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale and TFI chief executive Mr. Benedict Cheong acted as witnesses during the signing.

“These collaborations aim to promote cross-institutional exchanges among student and staff, as well as joint academic research,” read the press release statement of TP.

According to Davide, the partnership is a great avenue for Cebu to develop new ways to boost tourism.

“The year 2017 has been declared the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development by the United Nations. This program is an excellent opportunity for Cebuanos to learn Singapore’s best practices in tourism development and hospitality management,” said Davide in his speech.

“I am very thankful that Cebu has been chosen as a model to develop a strategic direction for sustainable tourism and hospitality management through this Tourism and Hospitality Capability Development Program,” he added.

The two schools will provide trainings based on Singapore’s best practices in tourism development modules.

A study visit to Singapore will also be conducted so the sector’s representatives will learn about the city-state’s tourism industry.

Nearly 120 tourism leaders and specialists in Cebu will benefit from the sharing of best practices and strategies on tripartite collaboration among government, industry and education partners in the province’s tourism and hospitality sector as soon as the development program starts next month.

“Emphasizing the importance of authentic learning in the workplace, Republic Polytechnic will also share its problem-based learning pedagogy with the program participants in the delivery of programmes, using Cebu as a model to develop a strategic direction for sustainable tourism and hospitality development,” as stated in RP’s press release.

RP is the first educational institution in Singapore to leverage the problem-based learning approach for all its diploma programs.It has seven schools and one academic center offering 41 diplomas in applied science, engineering, management and communication, hospitality, information communication, sports, health, leisure, and technology for the arts.

Established in 1990, TP is one of the leading institutions of higher learning in Singapore.

Currently, it offers 48 full-time diploma courses in the areas of applied science, business design, engineering humanities, social sciences, informatics and information technology.

TFI is a Singapore–based non-profit philanthropic organization that funds and supports programs which aim to build capabilities with program partners in Asia and beyond.

cebu.gov.ph