Birmingham links up with prestigious Singapore school to offer University-level Music curriculum at secondary level

Music students from Raffles Academy in Singapore will have the opportunity to embark on the University of Birmingham’s first-year undergraduate Music curriculum from 2013.

The University of Birmingham has signed an agreement with Raffles Institution (RI) and Raffles Girls’ School (RGS) enabling the first-year curriculum to be spread out over the students’ third and fourth years of study at Raffles.

University music professors will visit regularly to conduct workshops and lessons, while the students will visit Birmingham at least once in their two years. Upon graduation from Raffles, the students will be able to directly enrol onto the second year of the University of Birmingham’s three-year Bachelor of Music programme, and complete this degree in two years (instead of the usual three).

The agreement was signed between the three educational institutions by Professor Michael Sheppard, University of Birmingham Provost and Vice-Principal, Mrs Lim Lai Cheng, Principal at RI and Mrs Julie Hoo, Principal at RGS.

“This agreement with the University of Birmingham is a first in Singapore. No other local secondary school has yet signed a direct accreditation agreement with a university,” remarked Mr Xu Yang’en, a teacher with RGS’ Aesthetics Department. ‘It really goes to show the strength of the RA music programme offered by the Raffles schools, and we’re happy that the University of Birmingham has recognised this, and taken an interest in developing the ability and potential of our students.’

Dr Hoh Chung Shih and Dr Ruth Rodrigues, Raffles Academy Music teachers at RI and RGS, “We are happy to have the University of Birmingham join us in providing our students with the exposure and training to further explore their interest in Music. This accelerated curriculum has also opened various avenues for collaboration between our students, and professional musicians and scholars worldwide.”