Students and Olympian graduate from University of Stirling in Singapore

More than 60 University of Stirling students – and an Olympian – are celebrating today after graduating at the Singapore Institute of Management Global Education (SIM GE).

University of Stirling Chancellor, Dr James Naughtie, conferred degrees upon 61 graduates during a ceremony at the SIM GE campus, before Olympian Dr Benedict Tan received an honorary degree for his contribution to sport.

Dr Benedict Tan, who was made an honorary graduate, pictured with Professor Jayne Donaldson, Dean of Faculty Health Sciences and Sport.

Five students received a Master of Business Administration (Retailing) and 33 gained a BA (Hons) Retail Marketing. In addition, the first cohort of Sports Studies and Marketing students graduated, with 23 receiving their degrees.

Professor Gerry McCormac, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Stirling, said: “Congratulations to all of our graduates on their achievements and I wish each of them every success in the future.

“Our partnership with the Singapore Institute of Management Global Education continues to go from strength to strength and is a key part of Stirling’s global outlook.

“Our students and staff come from across the globe – creating a rich and diverse learning environment; our researchers work with partners worldwide to solve global challenges and our graduates are making a difference around the world – in business, sport, industry, healthcare, education, sciences and the arts.

“Today’s graduates will add to that legacy of success."

Sixty one students graduated from the University of Stirling in Singapore.

Prospects

The degree programmes in Singapore are developed and delivered by the University of Stirling and students can spend their third semester on the Scottish campus. This year, the partnership has been extended with the launch of a BA (Hons) Sport Business Management and BA (Hons) Sustainable Events Management.

In addition to conferring degrees upon graduates, Dr Naughtie also presented Best Overall Student awards to Khoo Zhan-Hua, Nicholas (Retail Marketing) and Wong Shi Jie, Daniel (Sports Studies and Marketing). Yeoh Jia Yi Belinda received the Stirling Management School Best Dissertation Award.

Stirling students have excellent prospects, with more than 96 per cent of graduates in work or further study within six months of leaving the University, which has five stars for employability in the QS World University Rankings 2018.

Dr Lee Kwok Cheong, Chief Executive Officer of SIM GE, said: “A new breed of professionals who possess multi-disciplinary knowledge and skills are needed to tackle existing as well as upcoming challenges.

“Our graduates have laid for themselves a good foundation for a career in retail and sports management, having benefitted from the University of Stirling’s strong industry links and SIM Global Education’s brand of holistic education."

Honorary degree

Professor Jayne Donaldson, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, bestowed Dr Benedict Tan with an honorary degree in recognition of his outstanding contribution to sport in Singapore.

Dr Tan, who holds a medical degree and a Masters in Sports Medicine, is well respected in his field and his research focuses on sports medicine and science. He has authored several books, been published in international peer-reviewed journals and has presented at global conferences. He also served as a Nominated Member of Parliament from 2014 to 2015.

A one-time competitive sailor, he represented Singapore at the 1996 Olympics and won gold for his country at the 1994 Asian Games. He is a three-time Singapore Sportsman of the Year and an inductee of the country’s Sports Hall of Fame.

Following his retirement from competitive sailing, Dr Tan took up running and he has competed in more than 20 marathons to date. He also sails and kite-surfs recreationally and enjoys scuba diving and skiing.

Today, he holds a wide range of senior roles across a number of institutions, including Chief of Sports Medicine at Changi General Hospital, Senior Consultant at the Changi Sports Medicine and Chairman of the World Sailing Medical Commission.

On behalf of Stirling, Scotland’s University of Sporting Excellence, Professor Donaldson said: “Dr Ben Tan has made an outstanding contribution to a hugely diverse range of sport activity in Singapore. As an Olympian and a senior and influential figure in the governance of Singaporean sport, his career encapsulates the best of all our sporting and management activity at the University of Stirling.”

Dr Tan said: "The University of Stirling is one of the UK's leading research universities in the fields of health and sport. These are exactly the fields that I have devoted my life to, and I am proud to be associated with such a fine institution."

Singapore graduates