IN conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Singapore Maritime Academy, Singapore Polytechnic launched new initiatives to offer a wider programme of relevant courses in maritime education with beefed-up facilities and a scholarship fund for its students.

These include the setting up of an innovation hub that offers SingTel's satellite communication facilities in a simulated maritime environment, and for the first time, nine scholarships worth $260,000 for SMA's graduates to pursue further education.

The SMA's graduate scholarship scheme has a very special gesture behind it. The scheme to help deserving students move on to a degree programme is being funded by the students' lecturers.

SMA director Roland Tan said: "SMA has made great strides over the last 50 years and we are now in a happy position to provide our students with the opportunity to progress further in their chosen fields. The scholarship fund was made possible through the contributions of staff, the fruit of their consultancy work for industry. This is indeed commendable and is a reflection of what makes SMA great - its people."

To start off, the SMA will offer three full scholarships a year from the 2008 academic year, for an initial period of three years, to deserving graduates to pursue degree courses in maritime education. "These awards will provide an opportunity for the SMA's graduates to continue their maritime education and further contribute to the industry, as well as attracting quality students to join our maritime courses," said Mr Tan. The scholarships will be for study at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) for its Bachelor of Science in Maritime Studies, the Maritime Institute Willem Barentsz's Bachelor of Maritime Operations and the Bachelor of Engineering in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering or a related programme at a foreign specialised institution, yet to be decided on.

Meanwhile, as part of a memorandum of understanding, Singapore Polytechnic, SingTel and Global Wireless have set up a $500,000 Maritime Satellite Communication Centre at SMA called SatCom@SMA. SatCom@SMA will simulate satellite communication between vessels and a shipping company's offices, and offer a suite of maritime communication applications for learning, the SMA said, following its anniversary celebrations on Friday.

SP, SingTel and Globe Wireless will also develop a Maritime Satellite Communication module for the SMA's curriculum. This will expand the experience of maritime students on shipboard communication systems and applications.

Students will be attached to the SatCom@SMA and SingTel for an industrial training programme on business management and development, and IT applications in the maritime communication industry. SatCom@SMA will allow the SMA to play a key role in promoting awareness of maritime satellite communication and applications to the maritime community, said an SMA spokesman.

"These awards will provide an opportunity for the SMA's graduates to continue their maritime education and furthe  contribute to the industry, as well as attracting quality students to join our maritime courses."
- Mr Tan

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