The acquisition of the Singapore Quality Class for Private Education Organisations (SQC-PEO) opens doors to expansion for ten-year-old Cambridge Institute.
It may have taken Cambridge Institute three years to acquire its SQC-PEO status, but the results speak for themselves.
Cambridge Institute, just ten years old, is now one of the few private education organisations enjoying robust expansion beyond our shores.
For a start, they got on the ‘green lane’ with SQC-PEO certification. SQC-certified institutions are given priority in the processing of foreign student visa applications, reducing the usual four-week period to only two.
Student enrolment soon shot up, enabling the company to open new centres in Singapore. It is also geared to extend its regional foothold in Ho Chih Min and Hanoi, adding to its current fold of schools in Indonesia.
Earning The SQC Qualification
Mr Edwin Chan, Director of Cambridge Institute, explained, “In 2003 we were among the first private schools to obtain the CaseTrust for Education.” With international student enrolment, getting the CaseTrust mark was relatively straightforward. Attaining the SQC was, however, “more challenging.”
The requirements were stringent and they wasted no time on starting their immediate task – setting up an independent academic advisory committee.
Mr Chan elaborated, “We invited qualified, experienced people from the industry to come onboard, including a banker and a former director of SHELL, people who believed in our growth potential.”
Acting on their advice, Cambridge Institute engaged an SQC consultant and underwent three audit rounds to streamline their internal operating procedures. Although a significant portion of resources had to be allocated to the certification process, the benefits of attaining SQC-PEO was well worth the time, energy and money spent.
Enjoying The Fruit Of Labour
“Before SQC, we were pretty much on our own,” said Mr Chan. “After SQC, wow! Not only did we receive invitations to overseas trade missions and student recruitment fairs organised by national agencies, Singapore Tourism Board (STB) also helped us market to and recruit international students.”
“With the SQC-PEO stamp, we are seen as a quality school – a name that can be trusted. When we participated in educational fairs in Korea, China, Vietnam and Thailand, it was always the first question that popped up: ‘Are you an SQC school?’”. The answer only served to consolidate Cambridge Institution’s reputation.
Despite their growing reputation, Mr Chan acknowledges that competition is part and parcel of any industry. He notes philosophically: “Competition is good - it keeps us on our toes. But if students love your school, nothing beats word-of-mouth-recommendation. Take good care of your clients and they will, in turn, take good care of you.”
How Cambridge Institute Secured SQC-PEO
- Assembled a credible advisory committee.
- Engaged an SQC consultant.
- Worked on improving internal systems and processes.
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