WeChat and SUSS jointly announce new internship programme

The Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) and WeChat/Tencent have recently jointly announced a new collaboration that brings together SUSS students and faculty members to develop new business growth initiatives for WeChat in the South East Asian markets.

Under the framework of the Tencent - SUSS Internship Programme, the team from SUSS will provide strategic communication advice and expertise to Tencent to maintain good relationship with its South East Asia market.  This include increasing the visibility and awareness of WeChat for new target markets in South East Asia. This collaboration allows SUSS undergraduates to undertake unique and transformative projects to gain valuable hands-on global exposure.

In the pilot programme, six full-time SUSS undergraduates from cross-disciplinary areas of accountancy, business analytics, and marketing have been hand-picked by WeChat.

They are: Chew Jun Sheng, 23 (accountancy); Chong Ren Wei, 23; Chu Gee Choon, 24; Ou Yang Kuang Xun, 24; Jolynn Tan, 23 (all from marketing); and Cindy Yeo, 21 (business analytics). The six students were selected based on their breakthrough marketing proposals, which they presented to WeChat.      

The six undergraduates will work closely with Tencent's team, including WeChat, to launch several campaigns to drive greater awareness in Singapore and key South East Asia markets.  They will also undertake further research and market studies to promote WeChat's services in the region in phases.

In the release, SUSS provost, professor Tsui Kai Chong, commented: "This new strategic collaboration reinforces SUSS strong focus on preparing our students to be real-world ready. Such international assignments will not only improve our students' technical and professional skills, but also provide them with a valuable contextual learning experience.  This initiative also aligns well with Singapore's plan of becoming a smart nation. With the rapid pace of technological changes, our students must acquire skills that prepares them well for the digital workplace of the future.”

Meanwhile, WeChat Tencent public relations centre director, Zoe Zhou, said:  "It is Tencent's mission to enhance the quality of life through internet services.  As a company that serves as the innovation powerhouse in the global mobile internet sphere, Tencent is honoured to collaborate with SUSS to create a systematic and leading talent development programme. We hope to train outstanding talents through this collaboration.”

This will be the first time that Tencent is collaborating with a Singapore university to offer an overseas internship programme.

Photo / 123RF