For all Singaporeans

Discussion in 'Chit-Chat' started by Alapongtai, May 7, 2012.

  1. Alapongtai

    Alapongtai Regular Member

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    how is the country overall in a natives point of view?
    life? school? cost of living? food? weather? badminton?
    has anyone of you heard of SIM (singapore institute of management)? if so, what do you think of it?
    and how are the badminton facilities there? there is a slight chance i might go there to study abroad and/or train for badminton.
    please share some thoughts.
    thanks

    ps- i live in USA
     
  2. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    You will find Singapore an amazing place to live, study and play.

    There is no racial discrimination, but you will find a much higher percentage of Asians (Chinese, Malaysans, Indians, Indonesians, Japanese, Koreans, etc) than Caucasians living here.

    The food is 'international' but there are more Asian cuisines catering to so many Asians here. Of course McDonalds, KFCs and their like are common place. So if you are non-white you will enjoy more of the great variety of hawker fare.

    Singapore's weather is sun shine and intermittent rain all the year round. No seasons, no winter. But rain can fall upon you suddenly, so a handy collapsible umbrella is recommended outdoors. The train systems (MRT or mass rapid transport) also provide good shelter above and below ground.

    Badminton is very popular here and we have a good number of good public halls as well as school halls available for rental. You can join the large number of BC Singapore groups by looking at the forum page.

    Education in Singapore is top priority and of a high standard. SIM, despite its shorter existence of about 10 years compared to NUS and NTU, has acquired a very good reputation and its graduates command a relatively high pay. As with almost all the educational institutions here, SIM should have a multipurpose hall for you to play badminton in or to join the university team (i.e. if you're good enough). I think the badminton facilities here are generally better than elsewhere in the West.

    Singapore is considered a "first world country", so the standard of living here is relatively high and close to the conditions in the US. While the cost of living is also high relative to the region, it is lower compared to the US in general.

    Your choice of SIM is excellent, provided you are accepted because their entry requirements are tough.
    If accepted, you may encounter friends who play a high standard of badminton because they may come from the badminton powerhouses in Asia, especially Southeast Asia.

    The BIG question is whether you are good enough?

    BTW, you may find my thread "Singapore Also Can" useful to get to know more about the tiny red dot.
     
    #2 Loh, May 9, 2012
    Last edited: May 9, 2012
  3. Moserenys

    Moserenys New Member

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  4. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    From an overseas point of view:

    1) Life - should be fine! You get what you put in.

    2) School - Choice will also be determined by your plans after studying. Stay in S'pore? Move on to another country? Is the program you enter well regarded at a global level, regional level or only well regarded locally? That's not to say the institution is good or bad. Newer institutions have it harder in global rankings as they yet to develop the track record and fewer grads spreading their name.

    3) Food - Yeah, I would put on weight there. LOL

    4) Weather - tropical = hot and humid.

    5) Badminton - never played there but have no doubt it would be good :)

    I don't know how much badminton training would cost there. I was surprised to hear the rates coaches charge in the US - definitely affordable in the US.
     
  5. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Sorry I got the varsity name wrong. I was thinking of SMU instead of SIM and therefore got the name mixed up.

    SIM is quite different and certainly is not on the same plane as NUS, NTU and SMU.

    It used to cater to mainly working adults who want to study for a degree at the same time but now includes full-time studies as well. SIM has arrangements with recognized universities in the world regarding their academic programs. Recent reports suggest SIM is on an expansion path in both it's physical facilities and campus size as well as it's programs.
     
    #5 Loh, May 11, 2012
    Last edited: May 11, 2012
  6. sim2peter

    sim2peter Regular Member

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    I am from malaysia adn working in singapore.
    If possible, try to go for NUS, SMU or NTU, these is what their government called universities but not SIM.
    SIM are mainly for those working adults and those who can't get into the above 3 universities.

    Their open u is not recorgnised at all. The all course is covered in normal u withint a year, do you think the paper got any value?

    Facility for playing (badminton), most of the courts are multi-purpose hall unlike in Malaysia, you can find purely badminton court very common. The level of player is mostly beginer to intermdaite. Hardly find advance palyer. If you can find good palyer, they must be from China or malaysia.
     
  7. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    Don't forget students from nearby Indonesia too. If they play badminton they tend to be good.

    I think the present SIM is different from the one of old based on the information that I gathered recently. It used to conduct short courses to cater to the needs of working adults. As such these programs may not be accredited to recognized foreign universities.

    I have not researched into SIM in detail and therefore unable make useful comparisons. But I know from reports that SIM is getting more "serious" in meeting greater demands from the public and those who are unable to make it to the three better known universities. Many of our students now want to study for a degree but there are not enough varsity places available.

    Agree that most public badminton courts are multipurpose courts but there are some private clubs which have specially built badminton courts and recently the 'new' Singapore Badminton Hall is purpose built too, it seems with boarding facilities as well.
     
  8. Sealman

    Sealman Regular Member

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    Understand you're a former Malaysian state player. Just wondering where do you play in Singapore? Would like to come and watch you play. :)

    Have you played with the ex-national players at Safra Club? They should be able to give you a good game.
     
  9. Loh

    Loh Regular Member

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    More about SIM

    SINGAPORE: Singapore will have two more universities -- the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and the SIM University (UniSIM) -- bringing the total number of national universities to six.

    Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in his National Day Rally speech on Sunday, said this will mean that by 2020, 40 per cent of each school-going cohort will be able to have a university education, higher than the current 27 per cent.

    UniSIM is a private institution which runs full-time and part-time courses, while SIT has high quality foreign partners such as DigiPen and Technical University of Munich.


    The government will build on their strengths and branding as institutions that have been working closely with industry and emphasising practice-oriented teaching.

    With growing demand for university places among Singaporeans, Mr Lee said the government will increase full-time places for applied degrees at SIT and UniSIM.


    He said: "Last year, I tasked (Senior Minister of State for Education, and Information, Communications and the Arts) Lawrence Wong to study this issue, and he concluded that we should create more university places.

    "But that we should focus on applied, practice-oriented degrees, for example, engineers, physiotherapists, social workers -- skills which are useful, which are in demand, which will help to get the graduates jobs -- and we should not just churn out graduates, regardless of the quality or employment opportunities."

    The addition of SIT and UniSIM as Singapore's fifth and sixth universities will open up 3,000 more full-time places per year by 2020 -- from 13,000 to 16,000.

    This means four in 10 students of each cohort will be able to get a university education.

    For part-time students, Mr Lee has also pledged greater support for them by making more part-time places available.

    Mr Lee said part-time students at UniSIM will now be eligible for government bursaries and loans, like their counterparts at the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University.

    He added that he hopes Singaporeans will take advantage of this -- not just to collect a piece of paper, but develop themselves and make a contribution to society.

    Moving to the other end of the spectrum, Mr Lee said the government will play a more active role and invest substantial resources in pre-schools.

    It will bring in new anchor operators in addition to the PAP Community Foundation and National Trades Union Congress.

    Following suggestions from observers and experts to centralise government efforts in regulating the sector, the government will set up a new statutory board to oversee pre-school education.

    Currently, the Ministry of Education oversees kindergartens, while the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports governs childcare centres.

    However, Mr Lee said the government will not nationalise the pre-school sector, as a mix of operators offers diversity and choice.

    He said: "Pre-school is to teach certain skills which are best learnt at that age, for example, languages, social skills, basic motor skills."

    He added that education and child development experts warn against "over teaching" pre-school children. "No homework is not a bad thing," Mr Lee said, adding that it is good for young children to play and learn through play.

    Prime Minister Lee said Singapore must always offer hope of a better future, and education is vital to creating hope for a better tomorrow.

    He said education is Singapore's most important long-term investment in its people, and it is a key response to the changing world.

    - CNA/al
     

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