See how EASB discovers your full potential as a competent industry professional

One of EASB’s full-time lecturer, Willard Tan, shares his incredible educational journey with EASB and how he gives back to his alma mater.

As a world-class educational institution, the EASB East Asia Institute of Management focuses on offering excellent programmes and producing competent and career- ready professionals. One of the many people who benefited from EASB’s unparalleled offerings is Willard Tan, who finished his undergraduate and postgraduate degree at EASB with distinctions and returned to his alma mater as a lecturer for the Queen Margaret University Programmes at EASB.

A worthwhile educational journey
Willard joined EASB as an undergraduate student in the Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality & Tourism Management while working as a wine consultant in a wine retail company. While juggling both work and studies, he founded the EASB Choir (now known as the EASB Performing Arts), the Club de Cuisine, and the Photography Club. After his undergraduate degree, he enrolled as an MBA candidate at EASB while working for a 5-star hotel establishment as a Manager. Willard was awarded Distinctions for both Bachelor and MBA and was also honoured to be the Valedictorian for the graduating class of 2010.

But Willard’s achievements did not stop at EASB. He also completed the Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers & Trainers (CIDTT) from Cambridge International Examinations University of Cambridge, and the Advanced Certificate in Training and Assessment (ACTA) from the Workforce Development Agency, Singapore. To name a few of his accreditations from various wine associations, Willard is a Certified Specialist of Wine from the Society of Wine Educators (USA), Certified Bartender from the Bartenders Association Internationale (USA), and a Certified Service Professional from the Workforce Development Agency (Singapore). 

Having finished his MBA at EASB, Willard reckons EASB’s approach to the post-graduate programme recognises that students are constantly engaged in a process of learning and the development of their academic works and understanding. All taught modules use assessment methods that allow students to reflect on the professional practice and the discussion of contemporary academic issues. “In addition, EASB posses a great pool of academic lecturers that supported my studies in the pursuant of my MBA, each with a specialty domain area, which provided excellent guidance in the various modules conducted,” says Willard, adding that EASB’s Holistic Education Approach also allows students to discover and nurture talents by having various clubs, associations and events, such as the Sports Day, the Club de Cuisine, EASB Performing Arts, Toastmasters Club, Leo CLub, Photography Club, and various other sports and Cultural Clubs. 

The secret to success 
Willard notes that all programmes offered at EASB are of the highest quality in terms of academic rigour and are approved and registered by the Council for Private Education (CPE) under the Ministry of Education, Singapore. Curriculum developed are always relevant, current to the industry and the main emphasis is on the application of theoretical knowledge taught.

“There are various national and international bodies that contribute to the quality assurance of our programmes such as reviews by CPE, a government regulatory authority for private institutions in Singapore, UK University Quality Assurance Agency, a government agency pertaining to quality assurance for higher education, annual reviews and validations by our university partners in UK, and our internal reviews by the Academic Board and Examination Board,” he adds. But what really sets EASB apart, according to Willard, is that its programmes are developed based on the UK’s Credit Accumulation Transfer Scheme which all modules will carry a certain amount of credit points. As such, students who intend to complete their final year for their BA, will be allowed to transfer their credits to any universities in the UK or Commonwealth countries, which enables relevant modules to be exempted.

For instance, in the Hospitality & Tourism Management programme, students will be placed for a 6-month internship in the area of hospitality and tourism such as in leading hotels, travel agencies, attractions, and events companies after their 2-month in-school practical training at the newly built Hospitality and Tourism Training Centre (HTTC). “We are proud that EASB is the 1st Private Education Institute to perform at Disneyland, Hong Kong at 2012. Students have also represented EASB and competed with hotel professional at the Annual F&B Amazing Race organised by the F&B Managers Association. These extracurricula activities are examples of how EASB integrates the Holistic Education Approach into the learning journey of our students.” But other than the EASB Holistic Education Approach, practical training at the HTTC, and