Orange Cap Innovative (OCI), a local venture builder, is joining forces with Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) to establish the "Success Academy" in Thailand, promoting lifelong learning opportunities and global entrepreneurship.
Thailand is the fourth country in Asia to host such an academy. SUSS wants to expand its educational footprint across Asia, gaining deeper access to local networks and business matching opportunities.
"As a public university in Singapore, we see the importance of international exposure for students," said Tan Tai Yong, the university's president.
The world is increasingly interconnected, so understanding global developments is crucial for students' success, he said.
"It's important to understand developments in Southeast Asia, China and India, as well as the larger geopolitical issues we are facing," said Mr Tan.
SUSS is expanding its partnerships with international organisations to provide students with internships and networking opportunities, he said.
The Success Academy offers SUSS resources and programmes, giving students opportunities.
"We are focused on creating connections between students, local businesses, and SUSS, rather than establishing physical campuses abroad," said Mr Tan.
He said this approach will bring international experiences back to Singapore, thus enriching the local business environment.
"The launch of the Success Academy in Thailand is a significant step towards our goal of taking our students to more places to gain real-world knowledge and exposure beyond Singapore," said Mr Tan.
"This enables us to build a strategic network of alliances and extend our education and expertise to learners and corporations worldwide."
Last year, SUSS established three academies in Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing, and Shenzhen. In the next three months, it will inaugurate four more academies in Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila, and Mumbai, bringing the total to eight regional academies.
Amornched Jinda-apiraksa, OCI chief executive, said the company invested up to 3 million baht to establish the Success Academy in Thailand.
The academy brings extensive knowledge from Singapore, combined with OCI strength in a network of corporate and local startups, to serve the needs of lifelong learning education.
This is an opportunity for Thailand to leverage Singapore expertise in gerontology (ageing population studies), health & wellness, sustainability, and artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing and business, said Mr Amornched.
The academy offers executive workshops and seminars (certified courses) on gerontology, sustainability, and AI in marketing. It will also support the development of startups in Thailand and Singapore.
Moreover, it offers certified upskilling tailored to serve the specific needs of corporate clients. Its internship placement programme will offer students and young professionals a chance to have hand-on experience and cross-cultural insights.
"We will seek industry problems in Thailand for Singaporean students or startups to solve," Mr Amornched said.
"We'll also bring Thai startups to seek opportunities in fintech and gerontology sectors in Singapore."
