Enhancing Singapore students’ employability through digital skills: ICDL Asia  announces strategic partnerships with two leading IHLs


An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, witnessed the signing of new agreements between ICDL Asia and two leading Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) during his official visit to Singapore from 19 to 22 July 2022. The purpose of the Taoiseach’s visit was to reinforce important bilateral relationships between Singapore and Ireland, and support Irish based organisations like ICDL which are operating in Singapore.

Headquartered in Dublin, ICDL is an international organisation dedicated to raising digital competence standards in the workforce, education and society. ICDL is the most recognised digital skills certification in the world spanning over 100 territories and 17 million candidates worldwide. Students learn real-world skills that enable them to be productive learners, employees, entrepreneurs, and citizens.

Two new strategic partnerships with Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) and Temasek Polytechnic (TP) will raise the digital competence standards of thousands of students in Singapore and further extend ICDL’s global reach.

The signing ceremony was led by Mr. Damien O’Sullivan CEO of ICDL Foundation and joined by Mr. Seah Chin Siong President & CEO of SIM, Professor Wei Kwok Kee, Provost of SIM Global Education, and Mr. Aw Tuan Kee, Senior Director of Temasek Polytechnic.

Mr Damien O’Sullivan, CEO of ICDL Foundation, said: “Our partnerships with SIM and TP are pivotal in accelerating ICDL’s role in the development of digital competencies of students in a digital-first Singapore.

“By equipping our students with strong digital skills, we empower them to navigate and realise their potential in this rapidly evolving digital era. By nurturing a community of effective digital students, we can work together to encourage a culture of innovation and experimentation necessary for the future digital economy.”

Professor Wei Kwok Kee, Provost of SIM Global Education, said: “We recognise that in an era where technology is permeating our lives ever more acutely, digital skills are becoming even more paramount for the work of the future. As a learning institution that is focused on the future of work, we prepare our students to be future-ready through applied learning.”

Industry-relevant, micro-credential ICDL courses for Singapore students

SIM is a leading private education and lifelong learning institution in Singapore with about 16,000 full and part-time students and adult learners.
With SIM joining ICDL’s network of test centres, ICDL certification programmes will be offered at SIM’s Centre of Micro-Credentials, enabling students to learn and earn micro-credentials in digital skills.

To date, over 1,600 TP students have been certified with ICDL in a wide range of ICDL Workforce, Professional and Insights modules, currently implemented in Schools of Applied Science, Business, Engineering and Humanities & Social Sciences. This renewed partnership signals a stronger commitment between both parties to prepare TP students for the digital economy.

As evidenced by the signing ceremony in Singapore, students from around the world benefit from ICDL’s globally recognised certification that is trusted and sought-after by employers, boosting their opportunities in a digital-first global economy.