At James Cook University in Singapore (JCU Singapore), students go beyond classroom learning, gaining real-world experiences that prepare them to make a meaningful impact.

The university consistently builds and nurtures partnerships to create opportunities for students to apply their skills, at the same time contributing to the betterment of communities and industries. This commitment was acknowledged recently when the university received a Certificate of Appreciation from the Sarawak Trade and Tourism Office Singapore (STATOS), recognising it as a valued partner.

STATOS serves as a link between Singapore and Sarawak to foster economic growth, trade, and tourism opportunities. With a mission to enhance regional connections, STATOS supports businesses, investors, and tourism industry players by providing insights, resources, and a platform for collaboration. Its initiatives are designed to encourage meaningful exchanges, contributing to a vibrant and interconnected community across borders.

To date, JCU Singapore is the only private education institution in Singapore honoured as a valued partner in promoting Sarawak as a premier destination for tourism and business. The partnership has yielded impactful student-led initiatives, including three research projects that have directly contributed to Sarawak's music festival industry, influencing the future organisation of large-scale events:

• Unlocking the secrets of Miri country music festival in Malaysia: a moderated-mediation model examining the power of FOMO, flow and festival satisfaction in driving revisiting intentions
• Participant well-being and local festivals: the case of the Miri country music festival, Malaysia
• Fear of missing out and beyond: Unveiling theoretical dimensions in post-pandemic festival events and community engagement dynamics.

Working with STATOS to explore tourist sentiments about visiting Sarawak through their projects in their Applied Research Projects (LB5235).

These efforts and the recognition received reflect the university’s commitment to leveraging research to provide practical solutions to emerging challenges and opportunities for the region.

STATOS CEO Mr Chew Chang Guan expressed his gratitude, stating, “JCU Singapore has been an invaluable partner in promoting Sarawak’s rich offerings to a broader audience. The university’s research and student initiatives have provided meaningful contributions to our mission, and we are always glad to work together.”

"We are looking forward to more interesting projects between Sarawak and JCU Singapore in the future”, he adds.

“This collaboration, built over the past two to three years, has been incredibly fruitful. We are excited about the possibilities ahead as we continue to work together to drive innovation and new initiatives for students and researchers,” says Associate Professor K Thirumaran, Acting Campus Dean.

“This reflects the close collaboration between the JCU Singapore Business School and STATOS including research projects, participation in events such as the CEO Lounge and sponsoring challenge statements for students taking Applied Research Projects,” he adds.

Find out more about the Singapore campus of James Cook University.

Find out more about the JCU Singapore Business School.

Find out about the Hospitality and Tourism Management courses at JCU Singapore.

Contacts

Dr Kim-Lim Tan, Lecturer at JCU Singapore Business School  kimlim.tan@jcu.edu.au

Media: Ms Pinky Sibal pinky.sibal@jcu.edu.au / Ms Hoe Shu Rin shurin.hoe@jcu.edu.au