Singapore Management University (SMU) has joined forces with Alibaba Cloud to launch a series of courses designed to upskill more than 1,000 working professionals in Singapore.
The SMU–Alibaba Series will be a professional continuing education program offered at SMU's professional training arm, the SMU Academy, from March 2019. The program will be the first time Alibaba Cloud has been involved in the launch of this type of education program outside of China.
According to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both parties, the series will aim to empower SMEs, equipping them with relevant competencies and capabilities to cope with technological disruptions and changing consumer behavior. The series will aim to enhance participants knowledge of emerging technologies such as cloud computing, AI and blockchain.
Leon Chen, country manager for Singapore and Indonesia at Alibaba Cloud, commented: "As Singapore's Smart Nation becomes a reality, we will require Smart Citizens to lead the way. Our partnership with SMU aims to help equip local businesses with the right tools and technology to propel Singapore onward.
"We hope to provide actionable advice through a blend of success stories and our holistic approach to technology to help create a future-ready Singapore," Chen added.
The SMU-Alibaba Series, which will begin with seven courses in March 2019, will be conducted by Alibaba Cloud scientists and will cover the trends and digital strategies across a number of industries, which include retail, finance, logistics and manufacturing.
Participants who successfully complete their course will become the recipients of a certificate which will be jointly issued by the SMU Academy and Alibaba Cloud.