Singapore/Tianjin 6 November 2009 – Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Investment and Development Co Ltd (SSTEC) has embarked on a joint venture with GEMS Education (GEMS), the world’s largest K-12 (Kindergarten to Grade 12) education company, to co-develop GEMS’ first flagship greenfield international school in China – the GEMS World Academy (GWA) Tianjin. GEMS Education has a demonstrated 50-year track record as a quality operator of international schools, teaching over 100,000 students from 125 countries in nearly 100 schools in the Middle East, India, the UK and the US, among others.
Located near the commercial centre and first light rail transit (LRT) station of the Tianjin Eco-City’s Start-Up Area, the GWA Tianjin will open its halls in 2011 to more than 2,000 foreign students, ranging from pre-school to high school levels. The GWA Tianjin, with an estimated total investment of RMB 140 million (about SGD 30 million), is envisioned as a premium world-class learning facility, on par with the best international schools globally, which will deliver the International Baccalaureate (IB) programme.
Mr. Goh Chye Boon, CEO of SSTEC, said: “The announcement of this exciting international school project is yet another step forward in the process of shaping a modern and international Tianjin Eco-City. It is important that the city is able to develop quality infrastructure and world-class services in order to attract international talent. These international talents are highly mobile professionals who are very discerning with regards to the living environment of their families. SSTEC is working closely with the local government to build up the softer elements of the Eco-City, which includes education and healthcare as well as quality leisure and entertainment options. Our shared belief is that these softer elements are an integral ‘pull’ factor that will attract more talents to the high quality of life, sustainable living environment and vibrant economy offered by our Eco-City.”
On the decision to partner GEMS, Mr Goh commented, “We are very excited to have GEMS as our partner. With their global expertise and valuable experience in teaching the international community worldwide, they are already a provider of choice among the expatriate community in many countries. We are confident that they will deliver their world-class education for our international talents in Tianjin Eco-City.”
Mr Sunny Varkey, Chairman and Founder of the Varkey Group, which is GEMS’ parent company, said, “As an education philosophy, GEMS firmly believes that children are shaped in no small part by their environment. That is why we have always been committed to providing a quality physical and teaching environment in which our students can flourish. GEMS’ motto is ‘Learn. Aspire. Be.’ And I can honestly think of few better environments than the Tianjin Eco-City in which our young minds can fully learn, aspire towards and become environmentally responsible global citizens. That is why SSTEC is a natural partner for GEMS.”
In line with the Tianjin Eco-City’s target to achieve 100% green buildings, the GWA Tianjin’s groundbreaking campus is projected to be one of the most sustainable schools in the world. It will achieve at least a silver award based on the Eco-City’s unique Green Building Evaluation Standard (GBES). The GWA Tianjin will also feature a fully integrated curriculum on sustainable development, with students learning first hand through the eco-features of their own school premises.
Mr Goh said, “SSTEC and GEMS share an alignment of interests. GEMS has embraced the importance of sustainability – both in terms of the school campus as well as the curriculum. This is very much in line with our mandate, which is to build a sustainable city that can serve as a practical model for the future. Our hope is that GEMS, through the GWA Tianjin as well as its impressive international network of schools, will help educate the next generation who will eventually shape this future.”
Added Mr Varkey, “When parents enroll their children in a GEMS school, they can be fully confident that the child will obtain a quality education that will put him or her in good stead for their future endeavours. Over the years, GEMS graduates have consistently populated top universities all over the world. At the same time, parents are introducing their children into GEMS’ entire global network of schools. This continuity provides invaluable peace of mind for these jet-setting professionals.”
The operator of GWA Tianjin will be a subsidiary of GEMS Education Holdings (PREACH) Pte Ltd, Singapore. The Chairman of GEMS Education in the region is former Deputy Prime Minister and Trade Minister of Australia, the Honorable Mark Vaile.
In recent months, the Eco-City has attracted a number of top Asian developers to collaborate on the Eco-City’s development, including China’s Shimao Group, Japan’s Mitsui Fudosan, Taiwan’s Farglory Group, Singapore’s Keppel Land and, most recently, Malaysia’s Sunway City Berhad. SSTEC has also collaborated with world-class eco-technology providers, such as Philips.
“Our strategy is to attract world-class partners to work with us in building a world-class city. Apart from residential developments built by internationally renowned architects, our Eco-City will also provide quality options for education, entertainment, and medical care, to name a few. All this will add up to the Eco-City’s promise of a world-class living environment”, added Mr Goh.
