OpenMinds and APU Partner to Bring Industry to Students

The collaboration is designed to bridge the gap between academia and industry by providing students with hands-on experience.

From left: APU SoMAD Lecturer Mr. Jack Lai Yong Geat, OpenMinds Co-Founder and Operations Director Mr. Randy Too, APU SoMAD Academic Leader Mr. Edwin Pio Rufus Samiraj, OpenMinds Founder Mr. Jan Wong, APU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ho Chin Kuan, APU SoMAD Lecturer Mr. Eric Lim Chee Hooi, and APU Head of SoMAD Ms Debbie Liew Pooi Kuan at the MoU signing ceremony for the academic-industry initiative.

OpenMinds (OM Connect Sdn. Bhd.), a well-known digital transformation, performance marketing, technology development, social media, and data analytics firm, has inked a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU) to open new pathways for APU students.

The purpose of this agreement is to provide real-world experience for APU’s School of Media, Arts, and Design (SoMAD) students, as well as to collaborate on the establishment of a student-operated agency (Student Agency).

This memorandum was signed by OpenMinds Founder Mr. Jan Wong and APU Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ho Chin Kuan, and it was witnessed by OpenMinds Co-Founder and Operations Director Mr. Randy Too, and APU SoMAD Lecturer Mr. Eric Lim Chee Hooi.

Three classmates from APU founded OpenMinds, a company where they continue to do assignments together.

Driven by their passion for education, they created a platform to connect the industry with students, extending their learning experience beyond the classroom.

“Under this MoA, OpenMinds will share its industry knowledge and help APU students polish their talents by immersing them in real-world projects.

“We believe that the knowledge and hands-on experience gained by students will help their portfolios, connect them with industry experts, and move their careers forward,” said Mr. Jan Wong.

The benefits do not stop there. This collaboration will also aid in the bridge-building process between academia and industry. In a nutshell, this is a great collaboration for both parties.

Middle: Mr. Jan Wong and Prof. Ho exchanged a signed MoA.

“We always encourage education and industry collaborations so that students can gain real-world experience before crossing the graduation stage.

“I believe that this collaboration will benefit our students, particularly those in the fields of media, design, and communication, while OpenMinds will gain access to a pool of talented young professionals and APU will be able to provide a more well-rounded education to its students,” said Prof Ho.

Under the terms of the agreement, OpenMinds will support the Student Agency’s establishment and operation, knowledge and technology sharing between academic and industry players, working space and resources, rewarding students for their project work, mentorship and guest speakers, market feedback, and analysis of the agency’s outcomes.

Meanwhile, SoMAD will be providing academic support and access to facilities for the Student Agency, as well as expertise, students, and support staff.

They will also be making sure that the Student Agency does not interfere with students’ education during the semester and that the agency has a minimum engagement period of six months.

This is just a small sample of the many possibilities. With OpenMinds’ expertise and resources, APU students will be able to work on real-world projects that will make a difference.

This collaboration will accelerate the future growth of design and advertising experts.