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Timeout’s
Son Tran
talks
with KinderWorld Group
chairman,
Ricky Tan
,
about its values and
operations in Vietnam.
How have you expanded the opera-
tion of KinderWorld in Vietnam?
KinderWorld Education Group,
founded in 1986 in Singapore, com-
menced its operations in Vietnam in
2000. KinderWorld offers high-quality
international and integrated education
programmes for students from Pre-
School to University Foundation under
two educational brands: KinderWorld
International Kindergarten (KIK) and
Singapore International School (SIS),
with 12 campuses in Vietnam’s major
cities of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da
Nang, Binh Duong and Vung Tau.
Simultaneously, KinderWorld is in-
vesting in setting up a post-secondary
education system in Vietnam, provid-
ing vocational and professional train-
ing services in higher education, focus-
ing on such key areas as Hospitality,
Tourism and Culinary Arts; Business
and Commerce; English Language; and
Teacher Training.
What is the attraction of KinderWorld
for foreign investors or businessmen
who move their families to Vietnam?
As a foreign invested business with
over 12 years experience operating in
Vietnam, KinderWorld understands the
needs of foreigners looking for a good
education for their children. We are con-
fident that we deliver a rigorous curricu-
lum with recognised benchmarks, sup-
porting different academic pathways and
exit choices, enabling student access to
various international universities around
the world and multiple career options.
With over 85 per cent of senior
students graduating to international
universities in countries including the
United States, Canada, Australia, Great
Britain, Korea, Singapore, and Switzer-
land, we have a proven track record of
student success.
Accreditation also contributes to
the quality assurance of a school’s edu-
cation programme and provides recog-
nition of the school’s standards and the
investment required to ensure contin-
ued school improvement. In 2012, four
SIS schools were awarded Candidacy
status for Accreditation by the West-
ern Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC), United States.
A significant investment in highly
qualified staff is essential to meeting
international educational standards.
KinderWorld recruits highly qualified
teaching staff from around the world.
KinderWorld also commits to building
the capability of staff through ongoing
training courses.
With KinderWorld’s schools located
in key locations throughout Vietnam
and a common study pathway and pro-
gramme, students are able to continue
schooling should parents relocate to
other cities.
Recently, KinderWorld has introduced
a mixed-use education campus con-
cept to Vietnam. How is this concept
different from other education facili-
ties in Vietnam and where will you
locate these facilities?
With current world trends, the de-
velopment of an education metropolis
or city which supports the totality of
quality learning and living is considered
vital in Vietnam. Together with this
trend, KEG is developing Mixed Educa-
tion Development Projects, especially
in cities with potential for foreign in-
vestment, hospitality and tourism. This
development concept comprises Educa-
tion and Training Facilities and a Resi-
dential and Commercial Area, together
with supporting services.
The KinderWorld Group is launch-
ing a Mixed Education Development
project on a 5.1 hectare landsite in the
Phu My An urban area, Ngu Hanh Son
district, Danang. This will be a spring-
board for the Mixed Education Develop-
ment projects in Vung Tau (Vietnam),
Malaysia and Australia.
Do you have any plans to expand op-
eration beyond Vietnam?
KinderWorld is looking to the fu-
ture ASEAN Economic Community
framework to be launched in 2015, by
focusing investment in Vietnam and in
other ASEAN countries. This expansion
strategy is to support our cross-border
campuses concept for schools, and to
provide a high quality labour force. We
have a presence in the Iskandar region
of Malaysia, an RTO in Australia and we
have taken preliminary steps towards
establishing a presence in Cambodia,
Indonesia and Laos.
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RESHAPING EDUCATION
EDUCATION