GIP to Singapore

GIP to Singapore

Exploring newer opportunities

The maiden Global Immersion Programme (GIP) of SAI International College of Commerce (SICC) was held from June 1 to 12, 2018. A team of eight students along with Principal Dr Sandip Ghosh visited Singapore to get a wider global exposure as well as explore new opportunities.

As part of the GIP, students were personally mentored by Mr. Tong Cheuk Fung, CEO, WASABI Creations Pte ltd, Singapore at Workcentral, a professional co-working space at Singapore. WASABI Creation is a consulting company that provides business consultation and local support for market entries to Japan, Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia. They got an opportunity to learn about AI, chatbots, IoTs etc.

The students worked in office from 10am to 2pm and from 3pm to 5pm for 7 days like a regular intern. During their tenure, the students completed a comprehensive market research for their host company like Market Entry Strategies for Foreign companies in India, Major Japanese Investments in India and successful ventures, Global Co-working market, Co-working industry with real estate perspective, Indian Co-working Market, Travel and Tourism opportunities Between Japan and India, Market of Food and Beverages sector of Japan in India as well as Developing an online portal for WASABI Creation for Co-working spaces. On their last day in Office, the students gave their final presentations of the project work to Mr. Tong Cheuk Fung followed by a certification ceremony and a dinner party.

The students also got an opportunity to be additionally mentored by experts in International Business from across the globe like Dr. Vandana Deswal, International Business Consultant in Toronto and Professor of International Business and Marketing at Sheridan College, Toronto, Canada, Dr. Harsh Mishra, President of iSEED and Mentor at IIT Delhi, Mr. Anurag Srivastav, Senior Officer, MIZUHO Bank, Mr. Neeraj Takhar, Indian Custom Officer at Mumbai Port, Ministry of Finance, Government of India and Mr. Pranav Goyal Senior Global Buyer at Reckitt and Benckiser, Amsterdam, Netherlands. The Associate mentors will review the projects and will give their valuable feedback. The experts may also give individual career reference letters which will boost the students’ career profile and resume.

During their stay in the foreign land, they got a golden opportunity of being a part of the biggest Entrepreneurship event of South Asia the ‘Innovfest unbound – 2018, conducted in the Marina Bay Sands on June 5 and 6, 2018. The festival connects brands and corporations with disruptive technology to fuel their innovation and growth. The 2-day event showcases Asia’s most innovative developments. Over 12,000 entrepreneurs, brands, corporate, investors and tech start-ups from over 100 countries have come to share new ideas, build partnership and celebrate digital disruption. The students interacted with a lot of Start-up companies, consultants, associates and delegates from all over the world.

They also attended ‘The Elevator’, an event organized by ETL A-STAR at the A*StartCentral, its Co-Innovation Space. They spent 4hours at the event listening to various startup pitches and meeting investors and entrepreneurs at the campus. The Elevator is a platform for project teams or start-ups to pitch their technology to potential investors or licensors and to build networks and collaboration within their technology area. This edition of The Elevator focused on Medical Technology, where noted Speakers presented on seven Medical start-up research companies. The speakers included Dr. Sidney Yes, Vice President, ETPL, Dr. Zubin Daruwala, Director PWC Asia, Mr. Peter Cheng, CTO, Zircom Group, Ms. Lily Cheng, Investment Associate-Chung Capital, Dr. Chong Kian Tai, Consultant Panasonic Asia Surgery Group and Dr. Pauline Tay, Director Innovations, ETPL. The discussion gave a gamut of ideas on dengue prevention, improvement of bypass surgery in a safer way, skin treatment, mobile lung purification, etc. The event helped the students to understand the need of marketing the products and also the need to finance an invention with a strong idea.

The SICC team also visited the National Design Centre (NDC) located in the arts, cultural, learning and entertainment district of Bras Basah–Bugis to explore the wonderful world of design. Students enjoyed touring the NDC to uncover the history and heritage of the building, understand the community that lives there and get to know the various programmes that take place in the space. They had a brilliant opportunity to peek into the treasure trove of design exhibitions and resources that can inspire even the casual design enthusiast. SICCians also got to witness how design has evolved and contributed to Singapore’s economy and development, through more than 200 iconic, pivotal and popular designs across visual communications, product & industrial design, fashion & accessories, and environmental design. They got to learn more about prototyping and its processes as well as indulge in a hands-on activity to unlock their imagination and express their creativity. They also participated in the Makerspace session at the National Design Session where they saw various 3d printing machines, prototypes and maker space.

Apart from this, the team gets to explore various tourist places in Singapore like Sentosa, Singapore’s premier island resort getaway and Asia’s leading leisure destination, China Town, Marina Bay, Little India, Singapore Night Safari, Merlion Park, Universal Studios and many more. They shopped at Bugis Street, City Square mall, Dhobi Ghaut etc.