Representatives of Republic Polytechnic’s (RP) Diploma of Mass Communication (DMC) and public relations organisation Golin Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 28 Feb to formally announce a partnership and establish grounds for future industry collaborations between both parties.
A MOU is an agreement between two or more parties outlined in a formal document, signalling the willingness of the parties to move forward with a contract or an agreement.
Commemorated in Golin Singapore’s Office, the agreement was made in the form of a MOU signing ceremony, which was attended by RP’s School of Management and Communication (SMC) director Mr Tui Jurn Mun, Golin Singapore’s Managing Director Ms Rafidah Rashid, DMC lecturers and students.
The MOU – which was signed by Mr Tui and Ms Rafidah – paves the way for both the diploma and agency to better engage with one another in future collaboration opportunities. These may come in the form of industry projects, student mentorship programmes, and sharing sessions between Golin and DMC’s staff and students.
“With Golin being a regional and well-known PR agency [that is] very good in digital marketing, advertising and many other areas, our students can look forward to more opportunities,” Mr Tui shared.
He added that the agency would also help strengthen SMC’s curriculum by providing trend insights, technology and even proposing problem statements that involve real-world clients like McDonald’s or ASICS.
On Golin’s side, the agency hopes to get closer to RP’s student communities and access DMC’s talent pool of students.
“I’m all about youth empowerment, and it’s precisely what Golin stands for. So when the opportunity (for a partnership with RP) came knocking on the door, we felt like it was the right collaboration,” Ms Rafidah said. When speaking to her during the event, she was all smiles and was greatly anticipating learning more about RP’s students.
It is safe to say that the partnership would help DMC further develop its curriculum to become more robust and forward-looking.
Ms Joanna Lim, DMC’s Programme Chair, was one of the few lecturers in attendance at the signing ceremony. She is hopeful that the MOU will bring about more industry exposure to real workplaces and scenarios for students.
“We want to be a few steps ahead of the industry and be able to prepare [students],” she commented. Being a communications professional requires one to stay relevant and up-to-date on trends.
Aside from future industry collaborations and projects, Golin will soon be introducing a scholarship programme to DMC students. While further details are to be confirmed, the agency plans on sponsoring one scholarship every academic year for the duration of the MOU. It aims to support students’ efforts and provide them with better mentorship opportunities.
Both DMC and Golin are also undergoing discussions to host specialised workshops and industry talks for content creation. A “content creation lab” is already underway in DMC, with previous workshops already proving successful for the diploma.
Jamie Ong En En, a second-year DMC student, is one of many who looks forward to what the partnership has in store. She shared: “As a year two entering year three, I’m really excited about the possible internship placements I can go for. Coming to Golin’s office made me more excited about the new environment that we will be exposed to in the future.”
By working closely with Golin, DMC hopes to advance content creation for other brands and organisations.
The MOU signing is not only a significant milestone, it would also demonstrate that such meaningful partnerships go a long way in developing curriculums and students’ industry readiness.
“We are not just signing a document, we are forging a partnership that will shape the future for the students as communication professionals,” said Ms Rafidah.
