Testament to the importance of paper qualifications in our society is the recent influx of private education organisations offering degree courses with partner universities from overseas. In this sea of choices, Asia Pacific Management Institute Kaplan (APMI Kaplan) stands out as an island of quality and credibility.

By Azhar Jalil

Having graduated from Singapore Polytechnic with a Diploma in Business Administration and seeking a proper direction in life, Dawn Tan took up a career in a shipping firm...

“Taking a business diploma was a vague choice for me but after starting out at my current job, I realised that I have a passion for the marine and shipping industries,” says the 22-year-old Executive Assistant.

Intent on pursuing her interests and climbing up the corporate ladder, Dawn turned to the Internet in search of a way to get ahead. “I wanted to prepare myself better for working by enriching and diversifying my knowledge. Honestly though, I was worried about the credibility of private institutions while some course modules just weren’t what I was looking for.”

However, the programmes at APMI Kaplan appealed to her, as it offered the direct honours pathway she wanted.

Staying on track
Time and financial considerations meant that Dawn couldn’t take the traditional route of a full-time course at local universities. She opted for a part-time Bachelors’ Degree (Hons) in Marketing awarded by the National University of Ireland, Dublin instead.

Amongst the various factors that needed consideration, duration was of high importance. “I looked into how long the programmes were, along with the length and frequency of lessons,” explains Dawn. Assessment methods were also crucial to her, as beyond her personal commitments, she would need to set time aside for assignments. The options offered by APMI Kaplan seemed perfect to a working professional like Dawn.

Juggling work, school and personal life is no doubt a challenge. However, proper time management is the key to success in this regard. “I have learnt the importance of time management and how to be more efficient. This has been useful at my workplace. In fact, APMI Kaplan modules like Organisational Management have allowed me to better understand why certain decisions are made at specific times,” Dawn enthuses.

At APMI Kaplan, the learning is fast-paced. Because of the institution’s emphasis on self-learning, Dawn says that “a great deal of discipline and independence is required to stay on track”.

Even so, Dawn enjoys the lessons taught at APMI Kaplan. Her reason: “interesting” and “approachable” lecturers who employ a variety of innovative methods to impart their knowledge.

“The lecturers are definitely experts in their respective fields. Moreover, they are very diverse in their specialisations with a broad range of knowledge and experience to share with their students,” explains Dawn.

Strength in diversity
Just as diverse are Dawn’s classmates, made up of fellow professionals from banking, IT, civil service and other industries, opening up a vast potential for networking.

Typically, class sizes are kept small at about 60 students while lessons are kept at 20 hours per module, spread out over four to five days each week. “Contact hours are kept to a minimum so learning at APMI Kaplan is very flexible. The rest of the time is used to complete our assignments,” she says.

This flexibility is surely a boon to working professionals. While the onus is on students to keep up with the programme, lecturers do come in and give feedback occasionally to offer guidance and direction.

There are, however, those who find the stress of finding the balance between work, studies and family, overwhelming. For Dawn, succeeding in her studies means having a combination of drive, determination and discipline to pull herself through.

Moreover, the mature profile of her fellow students ensures that learning at APMI Kaplan is more than just about hitting the books. “We should always help one another during stressful moments or when we encounter difficulties in our studies so that we won’t give up along the way. After all, we’re here to complete our studies, not compete with our course mates.”

The choice for working professionals
This mutual support network is another reason for Kaplan’s distinction as an institution of higher learning. Established in 1989, the organisation prides itself as a regional provider of management education and quality lifelong learning programmes.

Awarded the Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organisations, achieving the CaseTrust for Education and certified with ISO 9000, Kaplan aims to be a premier management institution. Its graduates are recognised for their dynamic and pro-active executive leadership qualities.

Kaplan currently handles about 12,000 students in Singapore. In collaboration and partnership with prestigious Australian, European and American universities, these students pursue a variety of executive and educational programmes ranging from advanced diplomas to doctoral research programmes.

Known for its innovative programmes of quality, Kaplan’s reputation is further bolstered by its association with Kaplan Inc, a subsidiary of The Washington Post and a global leader that specialises in providing lifelong education.

Although only four months into her course, Dawn aims to fully employ the wealth of resources available to her as a student at Kaplan. “Upon completion of my course, I hope to develop myself to be able to handle my job scope more effectively with room to take on bigger things.”

Surely, with Kaplan, Dawn and her fellow students are that much closer towards building successful and rewarding careers.

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