By: Rosli Mansor Ahmad Razali
IPOH: Education group Bonanza Educare Sdn Bhd (BE) has entered into a strategic partnership with the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to promote research and development in the field of education in Perak and Singapore.
Under the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) exchanged on Thursday, 22 August 2024, BE and SUSS will work together to identify opportunities for joint research and development projects in areas of mutual interest to foster innovation and knowledge exchange, with SUSS pledging to provide academic support, including faculty guidance and resources.
BE and SUSS will also collaborate on the organization and implementation of programmes in Perak, including the university’s Impact Startup Challenge, as well as workshops, seminars, and conferences aimed at promoting and encouraging exchanges between Perak and Singapore.
Both parties will co-design experiential programmes in Perak to promote exposure and cultural exchange while exploring potential funding opportunities to sustain long-term collaborative projects and initiatives.
The MoU further paves the way for SUSS students to pursue work attachment and internship opportunities at schools and learning spaces run by BE, providing the university’s students with practical experience in relevant industries and ecosystems.
The MoU, which was exchanged between BE Chairman and Director Dato’ Lim Si Boon and SUSS President Prof. Tan Tai Yong, was one of three separate memoranda of understanding signed by the university yesterday.
The other two parties entering into partnerships with SUSS were Perak Academy and Belum Eco-Resort Sdn Bhd.
In his speech, Prof. Tan said that although SUSS was a new university established only six years ago, it had big ambitions to create lifelong learning opportunities for its students.
“We do not intend to teach traditional classes but rather applied learning.
“Our students learn by doing, and Malaysia, especially Perak, offers a wonderful place to explore such learning,” Prof. Tan said during the MoU exchange ceremony held at 1Lasam, the headquarters of Bonanza Venture Holdings (BVH), of which BE is a subsidiary.
The BE team is a pioneer of international and Malaysian national education in Malaysia, with more than 60 years of ‘education heritage’ in the country. The team developed the largest international and private schools group in Malaysia, Tenby Schools, before selling Tenby Educare in 2016.
Bonanza Educare’s group of schools and learning spaces across Malaysia includes international schools – Knewton Global Schools in Miri, Rawang, and Ipoh; the higher learning institution Disted College in Penang; the language learning centre Ipoh Learning & Training Institute (ILTI) in Ipoh; the language and tuition centre Language Labz in Seremban; and preschools and kindergartens, Kinder Labz, in Ipoh, Chemor, and Seri Kembangan.
