[Singapore, 3 December 2012 (Monday)] – The Institute of Service Excellence at Singapore Management University (ISES) and the Institute for Strategic Innovation and Services, ESSEC Business School (ISIS) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU strengthens the relationship between the two business universities’ services-orientated research institutes by providing opportunities for more teaching and research information exchanges, as well as for the co-development of executive education programmes and the organisation of international study trips supporting these objectives.
As an initial step under the collaborative framework, ISES and ISIS will jointly develop an executive education programme in the area of service design and innovation, with a roll- out expected in the second half of 2013.
ISES Director, Ms Caroline Lim said, “Both institutes have accumulated substantive research and pedagogical capabilities in services. This partnership is therefore timely for us to draw on each other’s expertise to design and deliver programmes of relevance to the industry in Singapore and Asia.”
The partnering institutes will also leverage on their integral affiliations with the Singapore Management University (SMU) and ESSEC Business School, respectively, to produce holistic programmes with deep-rooted expertise in business and management.
SMU Provost and Deputy President (Academic Affairs), Professor Rajendra K Srivastava said, “This tie-up with the distinguished ESSEC Business School reiterates our commitment to establish close relationships with top universities around the world and our support for leading edge, world-class research.”
ISIS Director, Dr Xavier Pavie said, “We are honoured to have forged a partnership with the Institute of Service Excellence at SMU, an outstanding institute which epitomises the culture of service excellence in Southeast Asia. This represents a crucial step in our effort to strengthen our foothold in Asia, as ISES will provide us with tremendous insights and expertise on Singapore and the regional markets”.
Ms Caroline Lim added, “ESSEC’s Institute for Strategic Innovation and Services brings to us a pedigree know-how on luxury service management and innovation of the world’s biggest and most valuable brands, so we are very excited to work with such an acclaimed institute.”
The MoU signing was held at SMU between Assistant Professor Marcus Lee, Academic Director of ISES; Ms. Caroline Lim, Director of ISES; Professor Hervé Mathe, Dean of ESSEC Asia Pacific, President of ISIS; and Dr. Xavier Pavie, Director of ISIS. SMU Provost and Deputy President (Academic Affairs), Professor Rajendra K Srivastava witnessed the ceremony. The agreement is valid for five years and will be automatically renewed every two years thereafter.
About the Institute of Service Excellence at SMU (ISES)
ISES is the cornerstone of an initiative to raise Singapore's service standards and promote a culture of service excellence. Working in close collaboration with government agencies and business leaders, ISES champions service excellence through an integrated approach that encompasses benchmarking and analysis, research and thought leadership, and industry engagement.
About Singapore Management University
A premier university in Asia, the Singapore Management University (SMU) is internationally recognised for its world class research and distinguished teaching. Established in 2000, SMU’s mission is to generate leading edge research with global impact and produce broad-based, creative and entrepreneurial leaders for the knowledge-based economy. It is known to be a pioneer in Singapore for its interactive and technologically-enabled pedagogy of seminar-style teaching in small class sizes which remains its unique hallmark.
Home to about 8,000 students, SMU comprises six schools: School of Accountancy, Lee Kong Chian School of Business, School of Economics, School of Information Systems, School of Law and School of Social Sciences, offering a wide range of bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degree programmes in business and other disciplines.
With an emphasis on generating rigorous, high impact cross-disciplinary research that addresses Asian issues of global relevance, SMU faculty collaborates with leading foreign researchers as well as partners in the business community and public sector through its research institutes and centres. Through executive education, the university provides public and customised training for working professionals in meeting the needs of the economy. Close relationships with leading universities, including The Wharton School, Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, allow SMU to draw on their academic and research strengths in various collaborations. The SMU city campus is a state-of-the art facility located in the heart of downtown Singapore, fostering strategic linkages with the business and wider community. www.smu.edu.sg
About the Institute for Strategic Innovation and Services, ESSEC Business School (ISIS)
The goal of ISIS is to generate, stimulate and promote creativity and innovation in services and in manufacturing industries, to foster responsible growth and sustainable competitiveness of organisations. ISIS does this by capitalising on company best practices and guiding organisations through organisational and managerial change.
About ESSEC Asia-Pacific
ESSEC Asia-Pacific started operations in Singapore in 2005. The campus has since welcomed over 3,000 students and managers. ESSEC’s operations in Asia Pacific present the perfect foothold for ESSEC to be part of the vibrant growth of Asia and to bring its expertise to the expanding region. ESSEC Asia Pacific offers innovative academic and executive programmes with Asian insights and perspectives. Backed by world class faculty, ESSEC Asia Pacific aims to achieve influential high level research in Asia. ESSEC Asia Pacific also leverages on its Asian experience and regional network of premium partnerships to offer customised corporate programmes designed to suit the specific needs of organisations and individuals. For more information, visit www.essec.edu/asia
About ESSEC Business School
Founded in 1907, ESSEC, Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciales is one of the foremost business schools in Europe and among the world’s top management schools today. With more than 4,400 full time students, 5000 managers in executive programmes and a faculty of 141 full time professors, it is well recognised for the quality of its programmes and influence of its research. The school has a network of 42,000 alumni undertaking business challenges all around the world, and partnerships with many of the world’s leading universities. For more information, visit www.essec.edu
