Singapore, November 6, 2020 – The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) today launched the Centre of Excellence for Social Good (CESG), which aims to provide learning as a platform for different communities to advance social good. Serving as a key node to forge synergy among the non-profit, public and private sectors, the CESG will engage in education, multidisciplinary research and collaboration that enhance the non-profit sector’s capabilities and practices.
To mark the launch of CESG, SUSS inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY)’s Singapore Cares Office (SG Cares Office). The MOU was signed by Dr Ang Hak Seng, Deputy Secretary, MCCY, and Prof Tsui Kai Chong, Provost of SUSS; and witnessed by Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth & Second Minister for Law, and Prof Cheong Hee Kiat, President of SUSS.
With the signing of the MOU, the SG Cares Office will provide support and resources to the CESG to form close collaboration with the private and people sectors to promote ground-up initiatives and encourage volunteerism. SUSS and SG Cares will strive to forge future partnerships to support CESG’s mission.
Prof Cheong said, “While we grow economically and materially as a society, much effort is needed to spread the benefits to every part of our society, and particularly raise the well-being of its most vulnerable members. The non-profit organisations, volunteers play a major role in the latter, so do the public and private sectors. Together, they form a mighty force for social good. The launch of our CESG is timely as it serves as a platform for learning, collaboration and solutioning among the various players to positively transform our communities. Together, I am confident we can create an ecosystem of stronger and resilient non-profit organisations to holistically address community needs. The CESG will enable a network of organisations to work in collaboration and contribute their respective capabilities and competencies.”
Highlighting the importance of partnerships, Mr Tong said, “Building a more caring society requires all of us to work together to ensure that no one is left behind. This includes the people, public and private sectors where their strengths and capabilities can create a larger positive impact when pooled together. The Centre of Excellence for Social Good will create opportunities for more cross-sector partnerships to better support social causes and make a stronger collective impact in our communities. The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth will continue to support Singaporeans in embodying and growing the spirit of SG Cares.”
CESG advances SUSS’s social mission
The CESG will develop and deliver evidence-based and results-focused training, and educational programmes as well as engage in research relevant to the local and Asian contexts to advance the practices and performances of non-profit organisations and the impact of volunteers in this sector.
“As a University with social mission, SUSS is committed to promoting multi-disciplinary programmes and research for social good that are relevant to Singapore and the region. The launch of CESG solidifies our University’s commitment. In partnerships with the non-profit, public and profit sectors, we hope to enhance the operations of charity organisations and further boost our students’ experience in social entrepreneurship and businesses as forces for good,” added Prof Cheong.
Since 2019, SUSS has initiated learning circles among non-profit organisations through the Commissioner of Charities-SUSS Certificate in High Performing Charities course. To-date, 237 individuals representing senior management and board directors in non-profit and public sectors have completed the course. SUSS has also partnered with nine organisations in the social services sector to develop 15 social courses on the SUSS UniLEARN, an e-learning platform initiated by SUSS and provided to the community. Over 1,500 learners have benefitted from this UniLEARN experience, which equipped them with relevant knowledge and skills to understand, manage and address the various social issues confronting society.
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About the Singapore University of Social Sciences
SUSS is a university with a rich heritage in inspiring lifelong education, and transforming society through applied social sciences. We develop work-ready graduates and work-adaptive alumni to their fullest potential through our 3H’s education philosophy – ‘Head’ for professional competency with applied knowledge, ‘Heart’ for social awareness to meet the needs of the society, and ‘Habit’ for passion towards lifelong learning.
We offer over 70 undergraduate and graduate programmes, available in full- and part-time study modes, which are flexible, modular and inter-disciplinary, catering to both fresh school leavers and adult learners. SUSS also offers a broad range of continuing education and training modular courses for the professional skills upgrading of Singapore’s workforce.
Our programmes and courses are offered by our five schools:
- S R Nathan School of Human Development
- School of Business
- School of Humanities and Behavioural Sciences
- School of Law
- School of Science and Technology
To date, over 35,000 graduates have experienced our unique brand of education, and each year, about 15,000 students are pursuing their full- and part-time studies with us.
The Institute for Adult Learning (IAL), as part of SUSS, leads in the field of research on adult learning to build capabilities of the training and adult education sector in Singapore and beyond.
For more information on SUSS, please visit www.suss.edu.sg.
About SG Cares
SG Cares is a national movement dedicated to building a more caring and inclusive home for all. The movement invites all who live in Singapore to put values into action through active volunteerism, ground-up efforts and everyday acts of care. It also aims to build capability across various sectors and organisations to grow opportunities for volunteering. By inspiring and supporting one another, we can show the world that we are a nation with a big heart.
Find out more: www.sgcares.sg
Annex
Factsheet on SUSS Centre of Excellence for Social Good
The Centre of Excellence for Social Good aims to provide learning as a platform for different communities to advance social good. By forging partnerships with people, public and private sectors, the Centre of Excellence for Social Good will engage in education, multidisciplinary research and collaboration that will enhance and strengthen capabilities and practice in the non-profit sector.
Education. The SUSS offers a suite of non-profit management postgraduate programmes and certificate courses including the COC-SUSS Certificate in High Performing Charities. Through our partnership with SG Cares, we will continue to rollout programmes and courses of relevance to our community.
Multidisciplinary research. The Centre of Excellence for Social Good will draw on faculty expertise from different schools whose research focuses on communities in Singapore and Asia.
Collaboration. With support from SG Cares, the Centre of Excellence for Social Good will work in close collaboration with the private and people sectors to shift volunteerism to a transformational experience.
For more information on the Centre of Excellence for Social Good, please visit our website at https://www.suss.edu.sg/about-suss/schools/nshd/centre-of-excellence-for-social-good.